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I keep a notebook with a list of references on pedagogy, including active learning: https://www.refsmmat.com/notebooks/pedagogy.html https://www.refsmmat.com/n

I keep a notebook with a list of references on pedagogy, including active learning: https://www.refsmmat.com/notebooks/pedagogy.html https://www.refsmmat.com/notebooks/pedagogy.html The Peer Instruction section features a great deal of research in introductory physics courses, where well-implemented active learning methods can double or triple student learning of core concepts. (I also blogged about this research long ago: https://www.refsmmat.com/posts/2012-10-19-shutup.html https://www.refsmmat.com/posts/2012-10-19-shutup.html) Students in intro physics classes tend to memorize the formulas but don't have any conceptual understanding, and active learning seems to dramatically improve the conceptual understanding without harming the ability to solve typical calculate-the-force problems. Happy to discuss or send PDFs if you're not able to obtain them. My email is in my profile.

II2II 9y ago
The physics courses that I have been involved in, both as a student and in an instructional capacity, used several modes of instruction. Active learning was one, but lectures were certainly another. The point of lectures were to lay the groundwork for the active learning component. Without that foundation, the students would have been forced to find other means to acquire background knowledge.
- blahedo 9y ago
  Like reading a book or watching a video? The point of a lot of "flip the classroom" strategies (roughly a superset of the "active learning" ones) is precisely that there are many ways other than lecture of acquiring background knowledge. That's certainly how we pick things up if we aren't in a classroom. So why waste classroom time on lectures if you can find other means of acquiring background knowledge? tl;dr: > Without that foundation, the students would have been forced to find other means to acquire background knowledge. You say that like it's a bad thing.
  - II2II 9y ago
    Yes, like reading a book or watching a video. While those are fine modes for learning, lectures do have the benefit of being a social mode of learning. Even in the extreme case of a lecturer who is playing the role of a sage on the stage, students still have access to other students. In less extreme cases, students still have access to the lecturer and the lecturer has the opportunity to include different instructional strategies. In other words, the benefits and drawbacks of lectures largely depend upon the attitudes of the instructor and students.

II2II 9y ago

The physics courses that I have been involved in, both as a student and in an instructional capacity, used several modes of instruction. Active learning was one, but lectures were certainly another. The point of lectures were to lay the groundwork for the active learning component. Without that foundation, the students would have been forced to find other means to acquire background knowledge.

blahedo 9y ago
Like reading a book or watching a video? The point of a lot of "flip the classroom" strategies (roughly a superset of the "active learning" ones) is precisely that there are many ways other than lecture of acquiring background knowledge. That's certainly how we pick things up if we aren't in a classroom. So why waste classroom time on lectures if you can find other means of acquiring background knowledge? tl;dr: > Without that foundation, the students would have been forced to find other means to acquire background knowledge. You say that like it's a bad thing.
- II2II 9y ago
  Yes, like reading a book or watching a video. While those are fine modes for learning, lectures do have the benefit of being a social mode of learning. Even in the extreme case of a lecturer who is playing the role of a sage on the stage, students still have access to other students. In less extreme cases, students still have access to the lecturer and the lecturer has the opportunity to include different instructional strategies. In other words, the benefits and drawbacks of lectures largely depend upon the attitudes of the instructor and students.