CTD WEEKLY WORKSHOPS:
WRITING GOOD PEER
INSTRUCTION QUESTIONS
Peter Newbury
Center for Teaching Development,
University of California, San Diego
[email protected] @polarisdotca
ctd.ucsd.edu #ctducsd
slides and resources: ctd.ucsd.edu/programs/fall-2013-weekly-workshops/
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
12:00 – 12:50 pm Center Hall, Room 316
2
Writing good peer instruction questions
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)
Typical Episode of Peer Instruction
Writing good peer instruction questions 4
1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challenging multiple-choice question.
2. Students think about question on their own and vote using clickers, colored ABCD cards, smartphones,…
3. The instructor asks students to turn to their neighbors and “convince them you’re right.”
4. After that “peer instruction”, the students vote again and the instructor leads a class-wide discussion concluding with why the right answer(s) is right and the wrong answers are wrong.
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
each student finds out what s/he does(n’t) know
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
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 and support student discussion
4. leading a class-wide discussion to clarify
the concept, resolve the misconception
before
class
during
class
What makes a good clicker question?
Writing good peer instruction questions 7
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)
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 8
BEFORE DURING AFTER
setting up
instruction
developing
knowledge
assessing
learning
Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 17
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 18
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)
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)
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 20
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 21
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 22
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)
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
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]
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
Writing good peer instruction questions 26
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 27
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
Clicker question
Writing good peer instruction questions 28
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
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)
Your turn…
Writing good peer instruction questions 30
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?
Your turn…
Writing good peer instruction questions 32
Question: (and choices)
Think about
clarity context
learning outcome
distractors difficulty
discussion
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!
Your turn…
Writing good peer instruction questions 34
Are there really five
different, meaningful
conversations?
(Are there even 4?)
Your turn…
Writing good peer instruction questions 35
Learning outcome:
By the end of this Driving
School lesson, you’ll be
able to judge if you are
following the car ahead
of you at a safe
distance.
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
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?
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?
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?
Writing good PI questions
Writing good peer instruction questions 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)
Running effective PI
Writing good peer instruction questions 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
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.
What makes a good clicker question?
Writing good peer instruction questions
Center for Teaching Development ctd.ucsd.edu
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) 43