Application of Peer Instruction in the High School Seting

• Main Author: Iverstine, Wiley
• Other Authors: Browne, Dana
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: LSU 2010
• Subjects: Natural Sciences (Interdepartmental Program)
• Online Access: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07082010-121436/

This study investigates whether the response component of Peer Instruction can be successfully added to my normal classroom instruction creating higher gains in student conceptual understanding of force concepts. This action research is intended to analyze this goal for possible application in any regular high school Physics classroom, using myself as a case study. The Force Concept Inventory was used as a pretest/posttest determinate of the learning gains of 85 students spread through four regular Physics classes during the 2009-10 school year. Forty-Two of these students were used as an experimental group where the response component of Peer Instruction was added to regular classroom instruction. The balance of these students was used as a control group. Statistically, it was not determined that there is a positive correlation between the response component of Peer Instruction and force concept learning gains, yet some positives for implementing Peer Instruction were observed. The communication developed between the students and myself, the transfer of focus to a more student-centered environment and the enhancement of cognitive analysis by the student were strong indicators for continued study.