Abstract:

In the Department of Physics at Boston University, we are continually exploring and testing new and innovative methods and technologies that actively engage students in the learning process. Most recently, as part of a campus-wide initiative called RULE (Redesigning the Undergraduate Learning Experience), we have been developing and refining the use of online pre-lectures and quizzes that students must complete prior to attending lecture. In this innovative pedagogical method, students view short multimedia presentations and answer follow-up questions designed to stimulate discussion in lecture. Importantly, this method allows instructors as well as students to be more engaged in the learning process, since instructors can refocus their lectures by reviewing both individual and aggregate quiz responses “just-in-time” before class. We describe different means of implementing this strategy in both our algebra-based and calculus-based large-lecture introductory physics sequences, and discuss the response of and benefits to our students. We also describe the integration of these techniques with the other active-learning-based technologies either in use or in development in our Department, including collaborative inquiry-based learning in a studio physics classroom.

Keywords:

Physics, active-learning, pre-lectures.