Sample peer instruction questions

Peer Instruction Questions

These questions are used in a workshop about

writing good peer instruction questions. Some are

good and some are bad.

Which are which? I’m not telling you here – that’s

what the workshop is about…

Peter Newbury

ctd.ucsd.edu

Peer Instruction QuestionsPeter Newbury

(UCSD) 1

What makes a good

peer instruction question?


Peter Newbury (UCSD)

clarity Students waste no effort trying to figure out

what’s being asked.

context Is this topic currently being covered in class?

learning

outcome

Does the question make students do the right

things to demonstrate they grasp the concept?

distractors What do the “wrong” answers tell you about

students’ thinking?

difficulty Is the question too easy? too hard?

stimulates

thoughtful

discussion

Will the question engage the students and

spark thoughtful discussions? Are there

openings for you to continue the discussion?

(Adapted from Stephanie Chasteen, CU Boulder)

2

(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)

(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)

Chemistry

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.



1

Physics / Prediction

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)

2

Astronomy

Which of these are reasons for the seasons? i. 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


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (P. Newbury, UCSD)

3

Astronomy

How many of these are reasons for the seasons?

the height of the Sun in the sky during the day

Earth’s distance from the Sun

how many hours the Sun is up each day

A) one

B) two

C) all three


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (P. Newbury, UCSD)

4

English / Literature

Select the line

that you feel has

the strongest

imagery in “Fast

rode the knight”

by Stephen

Crane (1905).



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

(adapted from David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)

5

Mathematics

Evaluate: A)

B)


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from Bruff (2009))

4

0

32 1 dxxx

23)65(16

9

16

C)

D)

)165(9

2 23

3

1022

6

Mathematics

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

4

03

1duu

(adapted from Bruff (2009))

C)

D) none

7

History

According to Augustine, which do you think was

the most significant event in his conversion to

Christianity? Be prepared to defend your choice

with evidence from the readings.

A) Corporal punishments as a school-boy

B) Student years of follies (studies and

promiscuity)

C) Stealing the pears from the neighbor’s tree

D) Death of his classmate/friend


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (H. Keller-Lapp, UCSD)

8

Physics, Part 1

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

(adapted from CWSEI UBC)

After students

draw their

graphs, present

the choices in

Part 2.

9

Physics, Part 2

Which of these is the closest match to your graph?

A)

B)


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from CWSEI UBC)

time

velocity

2 sec 0 time

velocity

2 sec 0

time

velocity

2 sec 0 time

velocity

2 sec 0

C)

D)

E) something else

After students

draw their graphs

in Part 1, present

these choices.

10

Physics

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

then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later. Which graph

shows the velocity of the ball?

A)

B)


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from CWSEI UBC)

time

velocity

2 sec 0 time

velocity

2 sec 0

time

velocity

2 sec 0 time

velocity

2 sec 0

C) v

D)

11

Statistics

What are the mean and median of these

numbers?

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

A) 13, 36

B) 44, 35

C) 572, 93

D) 48,13 Peer Instruction Questions

Peter Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

12

Statistics

For the data set displayed in the histogram, which

is larger, the mean or the median?

A) mean

B) median

C) can’t tell without knowing the numbers Peer Instruction Questions

Peter Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)

13

History / Political Science

In what year did the U.S. join World War II?

A) 1939

B) 1941

C) 1944

D) 1945



14

Computer Science

How many times does X get printed?

A) 0

B) 9

C) 10

D) 11

E) infinitely many times



for (int i = 0; i<10; i++)

{

Print(“X”);

{

(Beth Simon, UCSD)

15

Computer Science

Which of these for-loop headers runs10 times?

A) for (int j = 0; j < 10; j++)

B) for (int j = 1; j < 10; j++)

C) for (int j = 0; j <= 10; j++)

D) for (int j = 1; j <= 10; j++)


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (Beth Simon, UCSD)

16

History

In your opinion, which had the most positive

impact on the modern world? Be prepared to

defend your choice with evidence from the

readings.

A) coffee

B) tea

C) chocolate

D) spice

E) sugar


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (M. Herbst, UCSD)

17

Research Methods

A researcher tests whether Medicine A is more effective than Medicine B. She hypothesizes Medicine A will be more effective. After analyzing the results of her study, she find there is no difference in the effectiveness of the two medicines. What can she conclude?

A) The null hypothesis should be accepted. B) The alternate hypothesis should be accepted. C) The alternate hypothesis should be rejected. D) The null hypothesis should be rejected.


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (Adapted from E. Walker, UCSD)

18

Research Methods

A researcher tests whether Medicine A is more effective than Medicine B. She hypothesizes Medicine A will be more effective. After analyzing the results of her study, she find there is no difference in the effectiveness of the two medicines. She can conclude

the ______ hypothesis should be ______.

A) null, accepted B) null, rejected C) alternate, accepted D) alternate, rejected


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (Adapted from E. Walker, UCSD)

19

Biology

Your sister calls to say she’s having twins. Which of

the following is more likely? (Assume she’s not

having identical twins.)

A) twin boys

B) twin girls

C) one boy and one girl

D) all are equally likely


Peter Newbury (UCSD) (D. Bruff, Vanderbilt U)

20

Linguistics

“Lawyers give poor legal advice”

What does this newspaper headline mean?

A) Lawyers are giving legal advice to poor people.

B) The advice lawyers are giving isn’t very good.

Peer Instruction QuestionsPeter

Newbury (UCSD) (adapted from C. Barkley, UCSD)

21

Education

Sample peer instruction questions