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Featured Expert Recommendations

Where can I find good questions to use with clickers or Peer Instruction?

by Sam McKagan, PhysPort director
Many research-based teaching methods in physics, including Peer Instruction, CAE Think-Pair-Share, Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment, and teaching with clickers, involve having your students discuss and answer multiple-choice conceptual questions. A challenge of using these methods is finding and writing good questions. This recommendation helps you find and write questions for your class.
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Peer Instruction, CAE Think-Pair-Share, Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment, clickers


Best practices for whiteboarding in the physics classroom

by Sam McKagan and Daryl McPadden
Whiteboards are an indispensable tool that physicists use to work out ideas individually and collaboratively, and to present those ideas, both for public discussion and critique of tentative ideas and for communication of more fully formed ideas. In this recommendation, we offer guidance for how to use whiteboarding effectively in your classroom.
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whiteboarding, best practices, SCALE-UP, Modeling Instruction


What makes research-based teaching methods in physics work?

by Sam McKagan, PhysPort Director
PhysPort contains guides to over 50 "PER-based teaching methods," also known as "interactive engagement" or "active learning" methods. We use "teaching method" in the broadest possible sense, to include curricula, techniques, resources, tools, and reform strategies. To implement these methods effectively, it is helpful to understand the essential features that make them work.
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active learning


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