Nobel prize winner in physics, Dr. Carl Wieman recently published an article in Science (10.1126/science.1201783) titled “Improved Learning in a Large-Enrollment Physics Class” that has gotten some serious press, including the quotation above. Dr. Wieman is a big proponent of active engagement in class. Dr. Wieman’s team reports that students in an introductory college physics course did especially well on an exam after attending experimental, collaborative classes during the 12th week of the course. By contrast, students taking the same course from another instructor — who did not use the experimental approach and continued with lectures as usual — scored much lower on the same exam.
I’m already a convert to the engaged learning process that gets the students doing more than writing down everything the lecturer says and writes. What I think is interesting is that this seems like a fairly obvious experiment and it is only being done now. Also, why does it always seem physics is leading the way in science education development?
UPDATE (3/26/2012) – John Hopkins aims to reform early science classes with active learning techniques.
UPDATE (5/31/2012)- “Warning: Flipping Your Classroom May Lead to Increased Student Understanding” – A useful article because it actually explains what flipping a classroom means and how to engage students. Again more backup on why univocal lecture is NOT the most effective teaching style.
UPDATE (12/20/2012) – The American Chemical Society in the Journal of Chemical Education just covered the NRC’s report that Research-based instruction is more effective than traditional lecture.
UPDATE (6/20/2013) – Dr Wieman is now fighting cancer, but still working toward convincing the science world that there are better (research-based) methods of teaching. Â Chronicles did an update on his work. Â While is Executive Order proposal might be extreme, I feel like this guy at least is thinking about the problem correctly.