Meeting Abstract
Over the past several years, the physics faculty at the University of Colorado have worked to transform four upper-division courses: Classical Mechanics/Math Methods, Electricity and Magnetism (E&M) I and II, and Quantum Mechanics. I discuss our transformations as a model for other upper-division courses, such as quantitative biology courses. The goals of our course transformation were to improve student learning and to develop materials and approaches that other faculty could easily adopt or adapt. We applied the principles of active engagement and learning theory to transform many elements of the course. Reforms included peer instruction (“clicker” questions), tutorials, modified homework, and more. In this talk, I will outline the process, the reforms, and present evidence of the effectiveness of these reforms relative to traditional courses. I will also focus on peer instruction as an effective way to add active learning to a traditional lecture course. Tips for effective use of peer instruction, banks of clicker questions available for biology courses, and other-research based materials for biology courses will also be discussed.
