Writing good peer instruction questions

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Writing good peer instruction questions 1 (Image: stool II by tilaneseven on flickr CC) constructivist Peer Instruction Writing Good Questions Peter Newbury, Ph.D. Center for Teaching Development, University of California, San Diego [email protected] @polarisdotca ctd.ucsd.edu September 11, 2013 CSULA Unless otherwise noted, content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommericial 3.0 License.

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Writing good peer instruction questions. Presented at the CSULA STEM Summer Institute on Active Learning in the STEM classroom. Peter Newbury September 2013

Transcript of Writing good peer instruction questions

Page 1: Writing good peer instruction questions

Writing good peer instruction questions

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(Image: sto

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constructivist

Peer Instruction Writing Good

Questions

Peter Newbury, Ph.D.

Center for Teaching Development,

University of California, San Diego

[email protected]

@polarisdotca

ctd.ucsd.edu

September 11, 2013 CSULA Unless otherwise noted, content is licensed under

a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommericial 3.0 License.

Page 2: Writing good peer instruction questions

Writing good peer instruction questions 2

peer instruction with clickers

interactive demonstrations

surveys of opinions

reading quizzes

worksheets

discussions

videos

student-centered instruction

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Clicker Question (Economics)

Writing good peer instruction questions 3

For which of the following professionals is driving an

expensive car a credible signal of their relative abilities

(that is, compared to others in the same profession)?

A) a carpenter

B) a realtor

C) a politician

D) a major league baseball player

(Steve Morris, UCSD)

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Typical episode of peer instruction

Writing good peer instruction questions 4

Alternating with 10-15 minute mini-lectures,

1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challenging,

multiple-choice question.

2. Students think about question on their own.

3. Students vote for an answer using clickers,

smart phones, colored/ABCD voting cards,

Poll Everywhere,…

4. The instructor reacts, based on the

distribution of votes.

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In effective peer instruction

Writing good peer instruction questions 5

students teach each other while

they may still hold or remember

their novice preconceptions

students discuss the concepts in their

own (novice) language

the instructor finds out what the students know (and

don’t know) and reacts, building on their initial

understanding and preconceptions.

students learn

and practice

how to think,

communicate

like experts

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Effective peer instruction requires

Writing good peer instruction questions 6

1. identifying key concepts, misconceptions

2. creating multiple-choice questions that

require deeper thinking and learning

3. facilitating peer instruction episodes that

spark student discussion

4. resolving the misconceptions

before

class

during

class

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 7

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

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What makes a good clicker question?

Writing good peer instruction questions 8

clarity Students should waste no effort trying to figure

out what’s being asked.

context Is this topic currently being covered

in class?

connection to

learning goals

Does the question make students do the right

thing to demonstrate they grasp the concept.

distractors What do the “wrong” answers tell you about

students’ thinking?

difficulty Is the question too trivial? too hard?

stimulates

thoughtful

discussion

Will the question engage the students and

spark thoughtful discussions?

Is there potential for you to be “agile”?

(Adapted from Stephanie Chasteen, CU Boulder)

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 9

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 10

Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove the chocolate

from the heat. What will happen to the chocolate?

A) It will condense.

B) It will evaporate.

C) It will freeze.

(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)

(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)

assess prior knowledge

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 11

Which had the most positive impact on the modern world?

A) coffee

B) tea

C) chocolate

D) spice

E) sugar

(Herbst, UCSD)

provoke thinking

clarity

context

learning goals

distractors

difficulty

discussion

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 12

In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on

the modern world?

A) coffee

B) tea

C) chocolate

D) spice

E) sugar

(Herbst, UCSD)

provoke thinking

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 13

A ball is rolling around

the inside of a circular

track. The ball

leaves the track

at point P.

Which path

does the ball

follow?

P

A

B C

E

D

(adapted from Mazur)

predict

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 14

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

The students have not

(re)solved concept X.

But they’re know X exists

and why X is interesting.

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 15

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 16

Which of these are reasons for the seasons? i. the height of the Sun in the sky during the day ii. Earth’s distance from the Sun iii. how many hours the Sun is up each day A) ii only B) iii only C) i and ii D) i and iii E) i, ii and iii

clarity

context

learning goals

distractors

difficulty

discussion

probe misconception

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Clicker question

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How many of these are reasons for the seasons?

height: the height of the Sun in the sky during the day

distance: Earth’s distance from the Sun

hours: how many hours the Sun is up each day

A) none of them

B) one

C) two

D) all three

probe misconception

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Clicker question

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Select the line that

you feel has the

strongest imagery in

“Fast rode the

knight” by Stephen

Crane (1905).

analysis

Fast rode the knight

With spurs, hot and reeking,

Ever waving an eager sword,

"To save my lady!"

Fast rode the knight,

And leaped from saddle to war.

Men of steel flickered and gleamed

Like riot of silver lights,

And the gold of the knight's good banner

Still waved on a castle wall.

. . . . .

A horse,

Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,

Forgotten at foot of castle wall.

A horse

Dead at foot of castle wall.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

(David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 19

Select the line that

you feel has the

strongest imagery in

“Fast rode the

knight” by Stephen

Crane (1905).

analysis

Fast rode the knight

With spurs, hot and reeking,

Ever waving an eager sword,

"To save my lady!"

Fast rode the knight,

And leaped from saddle to war.

Men of steel flickered and gleamed

Like riot of silver lights,

And the gold of the knight's good banner

Still waved on a castle wall.

. . . . .

A horse,

Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,

Forgotten at foot of castle wall.

A horse

Dead at foot of castle wall.

A

B

C

D

E

(David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)

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Clicker question

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Which of the following is an incorrect step when using

the substitution method to evaluate the definite integral

A)

B)

4

0

32 1 dxxx

31 xu

dxxdu 2

3

C.

D. none of the above

4

03

1duu

(adapted from Bruff (2009))

evaluation

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 21

Evaluate: A)

B)

(adapted from Bruff (2009))

4

0

32 1 dxxx

23)65(16

9

16

C.

D.

)165(9

2 23

3

1022clarity

context

learning goals

distractors

difficulty

discussion

exercise skill

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Clicker question

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Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up

and then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later.

Draw a graph showing the velocity of the ball from the

moment it leaves her hand until she catches it again.

time

velocity

2 sec 0

exercise skill

(CWSEI UBC)

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time

velocity

2 sec 0

A time

velocity

2 sec 0

B

time

velocity

2 sec 0

C time

velocity

2 sec 0

D

E) some other graph

Which one is the closest match to your graph? exercise skill

(CWSEI UBC) Writing good peer instruction questions 23

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 24

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

Students have had

opportunities to

try, fail, receive feedback

and try again without facing

a summative evaluation. [3]

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps students learn...

Writing good peer instruction questions 25

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

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Clicker question

Are features X and Y

ridges or valleys?

A) X=ridge, Y=valley

B) X=valley, Y=ridge

C) both are ridges

D) both are valleys

X

Y

(EOSC / CWSEI, UBC)

demonstrate success

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Clicker question

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For the data given below, which is larger, the mean or

the median?

74, 32, 35, 87, 28, 36, 11, 26, 93, 56, 34, 52, 8

A) mean

B) median

(Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

review / recap

clarity

context

learning goals

distractors

difficulty

discussion

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Clicker question

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For the data set displayed in the following histogram,

which would be larger, the mean or the median?

A) mean

B) median

C) can’t tell from the given histogram

(Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

review / recap

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Clicker question

Writing good peer instruction questions 29

In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on

the modern world?

A) coffee

B) tea

C) chocolate

D) spice

E) sugar

“big picture”

(Herbst, UCSD)

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Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 30

Page 31: Writing good peer instruction questions

Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 31

Big Idea/Concept/Skill/ Learning Outcome

Why do you need a peer

instruction question here in

the lesson?

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Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 32

Question: (and choices)

Think about

clarity context

learning outcome

distractors difficulty

discussion

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Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 33

What should students say to explain why this choice is correct/incorrect?

It’s not just about correct

or incorrect.

Direct the conversation!

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Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 34

Are there really 5

meaningful conversations?

(Are there even 4?)

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Your turn…

Writing good peer instruction questions 35

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Peer instruction helps teachers teach

Writing good peer instruction questions 36

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Page 37: Writing good peer instruction questions

t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e

Peer instruction helps teachers teach

Writing good peer instruction questions 37

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Do they care about this?

Are they ready for the next topic?

What DO they care about, anyway?

What do they already know?

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e Did they notice key idea X?

Where are they in the activity?

Peer instruction helps teachers teach

Writing good peer instruction questions 38

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Are they getting it?

Do I need to intervene?

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t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e How did I do?

Did they get it?

Peer instruction helps teachers teach

Writing good peer instruction questions 39

BEFORE DURING AFTER

setting up

instruction

developing

knowledge

assessing

learning

Can I move to the next topic?

Did that activity work?

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Writing good PI questions

How (you can help) People Learn (using peer instruction) 40

It’s critical to have

content knowledge (the concepts)

pedagogical content knowledge (how people learn

the concepts in your discipline and how to teach them)

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Running effective PI

How (you can help) People Learn (using peer instruction) 41

It’s critical to

teach the students how to engage in peer instruction

choreograph each episode so students waste no

precious cognitive load wondering what to do

(call us for another workshop!)

You might not write the perfect question the first time so

listen to the students’ conversations

write your self some notes immediately after class

revise and try it again next year

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References

Writing good peer instruction questions 42

1. National Research Council (2000). How People Learn: Brain,

Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. J.D.

Bransford, A.L Brown & R.R. Cocking (Eds.),Washington, DC:

The National Academies Press.

2. Bruff, D. (2009). Teaching with Classroom Response Systems.

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

3. Bain, K. (2004). What the best college teachers do.

Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

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Writing good peer instruction questions

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(Image: sto

ol II b

y tila

nese

ven o

n flickr CC

)

constructivist

Peer Instruction Writing Good

Questions

Peter Newbury, Ph.D.

Center for Teaching Development,

University of California, San Diego

[email protected]

@polarisdotca

ctd.ucsd.edu

September 11, 2013 CSULA Unless otherwise noted, content is licensed under

a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommericial 3.0 License.

Slides and resources: tinyurl.com/PI-CSULA

Page 44: Writing good peer instruction questions

What makes a good clicker question?

Writing good peer instruction questions

Peter Newbury, Center for Teaching Development, UCSD

clarity Students should waste no effort trying to figure

out what’s being asked.

context Is this topic currently being covered

in class?

connection to

learning goals

Does the question make students do the right

thing to demonstrate they grasp the concept.

distractors What do the “wrong” answers tell you about

students’ thinking?

difficulty Is the question too trivial? too hard?

stimulates

thoughtful

discussion

Will the question engage the students and

spark thoughtful discussions?

Is there potential for you to be “agile”?

(Adapted from Stephanie Chasteen, CU Boulder)