This section of PHY 121 will be dedicated to active learning and peer instruction.
Here is a research summary on the effectiveness of Active Learning in the STEM classroom.

In Active Learning ...

  • There are NO LECTURES
  • Reading the textbook before scheduled classes is REQUIRED
  • Class time is spent on collaborative activities in small, assigned teams
  • You will, at times, be required to report your team's findings to the entire class

    Your role as a student in this class may be very different than what you may have
    experienced in other courses. To understand what is expected of you, please see the
    table below:
  • Traditional Classroom 
    students shift from...    
     Collaborative Classroom
    ...to
    Listener, observer, and note-taker    Active problem-solver, listener, and discussant
    Low or moderate expectations of preparation for class High expectations of preparation for class
    Private presence in the class with few or no risks Public presence with many risks
    Attendance dictated by personal choice    Attendance dictated by community expectation
    Competition with peers    Collaborative work with peers
    Responsibilities and self-definition associated with learning independently    Responsibilities and self-definition associated with learning INTERdependently
    Seeing teachers and texts as the sole sources of authority and knowledge Seeing peers, self, and the community as additional and important sources of authority and  knowledge