Peer Instruction: A Way for In-Class Interactions

by

Adham Ramadan

Department of Chemistry

What is Peer Instruction?

Learning from peers: student-student interactions leading to learning.

Examples include:– In-class group work for case studies (Chem 104) – In-class group activities for problem analysis and

numerical solutions (Chem 105)– Peer evaluation (Chem 104, 206, 304, 414)– Concept tests (Chem 106)

Why Peer Instruction?

Students who have just acquired an understanding of a concept are better aware of the challenges in understanding it, and are therefore better equipped to explain it.

Explaining a concept improves understanding it.

Support of communication skills, interpersonal skills, critical thinking skills, team work, etc…

Concept tests: a structured peer instruction method

In-class interactions

Concept Tests

Concept question

Time for individual thinking & answer

Record answer

Student – student

discussion

Answer again

Record answer

Personal experience with CTs

Chem 106: a General Chemistry course covering fundamentals of Physical Chemistry, for science majors.

Sci 150L: a General Science laboratory covering various basic concepts in Chemistry and Physics, for non-science/engineering majors.

Are Concept Tests effective?

Actual EffectivenessI

No. of correct answers:• Increase in no. of correct answers after

student-student discussions

Level of confidence:• Improvement in level of confidence

BEFORE

AFTER

PS

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS G

NQS

PS

G

NQS

PS

NQS

PS

PS G

NQS

G

NQS PS

NQS

PS

NQS

PS

Perceived EffectivenessIICTs identified by students as helping them learn in class, more so than other learning tools.

Commonly-cited challenges

This takes too much class time.

This takes too much time for preparation and marking.

Students would not be confident enough to do it.

It cannot be used for non-science courses. Analysis of results.

Peer Instruction promoting active learning

Reading assignments

Reading quizzes

Concept tests

Concept Test: Example 1A certain amount “n” of air is used to inflate a balloon located in a chamber where the pressure is 1 atmospheric pressure. This results in a volume of the balloon = 1 m3.

If another balloon located in another chamber, where the pressure is 2 atmospheric pressure, is to be inflated to the same volume of 1 m3 :

25% 25%25%25%

1. “n” needed for balloon 2 will be the same as that used for balloon 1

2. “n” needed for balloon 2 will be the double that used for balloon 1

3. “n” needed for balloon 2 will be half that used for balloon 1

4. Balloon 2 cannot be inflated to 1 m3

1 atm

air1 m3

2 atm

air1 m3

Concept Test: Example 2Two bodies are moving from left to right.

Snapshots are taken of their positions at 2 second intervals, and are numbered sequentially. Which of the following statements is correct:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

25% 25%25%25%1. They are both moving with the same speed

2. The red body is moving with a constant speed

3. After 10 seconds the two bodies have covered the same distance

4. The white body is moving with a constant speed