How we teach impacts student learning

Abstract

In this paper we look at the impact on student learning of how a class is taught. We compare 2 sections of a non-majors CS0 course offered in the same term, by the same instructor, covering the same content and utilizing the same book, labs and exams. One section was taught using standard lecture practices including lecture from slides, live coding and weekly quizzes. The other section was taught using the Peer Instruction (PI) method that actively engages students in constructing their own learning, instead of absorbing understanding from the instructor's explanations. Using a factorial analysis of variance, we find a main effect of instructional method on final exam grade (F (1,200) = 5.87, p = 0.016) with students in the Peer Instruction section scoring an average 5.7% higher than in the standard lecture practices section. We find no significant interactions among gender and grade or class status (lower or upper division) and grade. In a separate analysis, we also find the interaction of instructional method and high school background to be significant (F (1,147) = 7.48, p = 0.007). In discussion we consider the meaning of these results for educators and describe questions for future work.

The Effect of Peer Instruction Method on Pre-Service Teachers’ Conceptual Comprehension of Methodology Course

“…Failure rates were also observed decreasing and students were being retained because of peer instruction method in teaching. Peer instruction method actively involves the students in enhancing their own understanding from the explanation of the instructor and construct their own learning patterns (Simon et al, 2013). This method is now being implemented in a broad range of mathematics and science courses at the secondary level of education and colleges (Mazur, 2013).…”

Evaluation of Peer Instruction for Cybersecurity Education

“…Peer instruction is now widely used-and studied-in computer science. In one study, students in a peer instruction course achieved 6% higher grades on the nal exam compared to traditional lecturecentric approach [27]. In another, a trio of introductory programming course best practices, including peer instruction, improved retention in the computer science major by 31% [21].…”

Five Cs Framework: A Student-centered Approach for teaching programming courses to students with diverse disciplinary background

“…It is based on small group discussions which positively contribute to student understanding (Crouch & Mazur, 2001;Porter, Bailey Lee, & Simon, 2013;Simon, Kohanfars, Lee, Tamayo, & Cutts, 2010;Simon, Parris, & Spacco, 2013). The PI framework was designed to assist students to progress through the seven levels of cognitive process and develop factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge as per the revised Bloom's Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956;Krathwohl, 2002).…”