President’s Challenge
“The challenge before us is to create even
more powerful and effective learning
experiences in which students learn by
faith… Students need opportunities to
take action… Some of [those
opportunities] will come in the classroom,
where prepared students, exercising
faith, step out beyond the light they
already possess, to speak, to contribute,
and to teach one another. It is precisely
in that moment that the Spirit teaches.”
Kim B. Clark, “Inaugural Response,” October 11, 2005
Common Questions
1. What is my role?
2. What are the risks and benefits?
3. How do we implement this?
4. What are my resources?
“A faculty member should be the engineer, the designer, the architect
of the learning experiences; not just the sage on the stage telling
people what he or she thinks they need to know.” --Elder David A.
Bednar, November 16, 2004 President’s Q&A, BYU-Idaho
Description
Peer-to-peer (P2P) learning is a
teaching method where faculty
architect experiences for students
to act by teaching and learning
from each other
General Principles
• Students learn more when they teach
• Teaching allows students to act
• Action authorizes the Holy Ghost
to teach
Concept Test: Volume Flow Rate Example
A blood platelet drifts with the flow of blood
through an artery that is partially blocked
As the platelet moves from the narrow to the
wider region, its speed:
1. increases
2. remains the same
3. decreases
C. Crouch and E. Mazur, “ Peer Instruction: Ten Years of Experience and Results.” American Journal of Physics,
69 (9) 2001.
Increased Conceptual Understanding:
In large sample studies in Physics classes, conceptual mastery
increased through concept tests and other peer learning methods
when the cross-section area is
0.5 cm2 and the fluid speed is
2.2 cm per second?
Traditional
Frequency
1.
“Students who understand the
concept when the question is
posed have only recently
mastered the idea and are still
aware of the difficulties
involved in grasping the
concept. Consequently, they
know
precisely
what
to
2. Volume
Flow Rate
Calculation
emphasize.” --Eric Mazur, Peer
Calculate the volume flow rate
Instruction, 1996
Peer Learning
Average Normalized Gain
R. Hake, “Interactive-engagement versus
traditional methods: A six thousand student
survey of mechanics test data for
introductory physics courses,” American
Journal of Physics, 66 (1) 1998.
Common Questions
1. What is my role?
2. What are the risks and benefits?
3. How do we implement this?
4. What are my resources?
Types of Peer Learning
Instructor
Student
Peer Facilitator
Peer Interaction
Immersion and Formative Assessment:
Discussion groups/boards, study groups, peer comparison
Peer Response
Deepening and Integrating Conceptual Learning:
Socratic questioning, paired teaching, case studies, concept tests
Peer Collaboration
Joint Problem Solving and Concept Application:
Group assignments/quizzes, team projects, structured activities
Peer Feedback
Expanded Evaluation through Peer Review
Calibrated Peer Review, rubric-based evaluation
Peer Facilitated Instruction
Rotated or Dedicated Student-led Instruction
Student-directed lesson development
Peer Response
Deepening and integrating conceptual learning
Architecting Peer Instruction: Semester Cycles
English 111 syllabus example
Peer Interaction
Peer Collaboration
Peer Feedback
Architecting Peer Instruction: Weekly Cycles
Physics weekly structure example
Pre-class
Classroom
Section Lab
•Pre-reading
assignment: e.g. fluid
dynamics
•Concept Test
administered
individually
•Online conceptual
pre-class quiz
•Discussed in pairs or
small teams
•Group assignments
•Peer comparison
•Student answers
defended in group
discussion
Peer facilitated
instruction:
•Online discussion
board
•Participation graded
Cooperative activities:
•Group quiz
•Pre-assigned
discussion questions
Student Peer Instruction
Resources
Overview of Pedagogy
• Departmental Training
• Faculty Development Workshop
• Training Resource Materials
On Demand Resources
• Pedagogical Advisement
• Library of P2P Research
• Faculty Best Practice Database
• Peer Facilitator Database
Joint Development Resources
• Joint Development of Course
• Course Advisement
• Peer Facilitator Training
“BYU-Idaho is engaging students in a very powerful
way in teaching one another. Over time, it will
become apparent that the most powerful way for
the students to learn is for them to teach—they
will teach to learn.
(Realizing the Mission, Clark, 5/07)
Creating Natural Leaders
Learning to Teach and
Be Taught by Each Other
“They will be natural leaders who know
how to teach and how to learn …. Those
graduates of BYU-Idaho will become
legendary for their capacity to build the
people around them and to add value
wherever they serve.”
Elder Henry B. Eyring - “Steady Upward Course”