Peer Instruction: A User's Manual, 1st edition

Peer Instruction:  A User’s Manual is a step-by-step guide for instructors on how to plan and implement Peer Instruction lectures. The teaching methodology is applicable to a variety of introductory science courses (including biology and chemistry). However, the additional material–class-tested, ready-to-use resources, in print and on CD-ROM (so professors can reproduce them as handouts or transparencies)–is intended for calculus-based physics courses.

• Contains a step-by-step guide on how to plan Peer Instruction lectures using an instructor's existing lecture materials.

• The complete set of class-tested and ready-to-use resources for implementing the method in a one-year introductory physics course includes:

  • Two diagnostic tests to evaluate students' understanding of mechanics.

  • Student questionnaire handouts to assess students' expectations for the course and to point out misconceptions.

  • 44 Reading Quizzes, organized by subject and designed to be given at the beginning of each class to motivate the students to read assigned material before class.

  • 243 ConcepTests, multiple-choice questions for use in lecture to engage the students and to assess their understanding.

  • 109 Conceptual Examination Questions, organized by major topic for use on exams.

• Enclosed CD-ROM contains all of the above materials so they can be reformatted for 8 1/2 X 11 transparentcy and/or hand-out masters.

• To complement the material in the book, a continually updated set of additional resources is available on the world-wide web at http://galileo.harvard.edu.

  • This server will act as an interactive forum for instructors who are implementing Peer Instruction in their courses. Instructor participation is welcomed!

• Author welcomes comments and suggestions via e-mail at "mazur@physics.harvard.edu".