Interactive Engagement Physics Curricula
Title
Active Learning
  Paradigms
  Problem
  PER
  Characteristics
  Example
Curriculum
Classroom
Results
Resources

Definition: Curricula "designed at least in part to promote conceptual understanding through interactive engagement of students in heads-on (always) and hands-on (usually) activities which yield immediate feedback through discussion with peers and/or instructors."  Richard Hake

Characteristics

  • Emphasis on concepts
    • Concepts worked with before introducing equations
    • Explicitly deal with common misconceptions
    • Use of visual representations (graphs, diagrams)
    • Discovery learning helping students develop reasoning for them selves
  • Increased peer interactions
    • Explain reasoning to each another
    • Second teaching--student who understands something explains to one who missed it--both benefit!
    • Cooperative groups bring different skills and knowledge resources to a problem
    • Provides social support
  • Activity
    • "I hear, I forget.  I do, I remember."
    • Discovery learning
    • Expose gaps and faulty reasoning in class
    • Many people learn best doing things
  • Increased and more frequent feedback
    • Much of it informal
    • Increased two-way interaction with instructor
    • Interactions with peers
    • Helps instructor know where students are and where difficulties are
    • Makes students feel valued

Selected Examples