2015 CAP Congress / Congrès de l'ACP 2015

Essential Psychology in the Physics Classroom - Five Steps to Improve Classroom Effectiveness

15 Jun 2015, 16:30

15m

CAB 239 (University of Alberta)

Oral (Non-Student) / orale (non-étudiant) Physics Education / Enseignement de la physique (DPE-DEP) M2-8 Teaching Physics to a Wider Audience (DPE) / Enseigner la physique à un auditoire plus vaste (DEP)

Speaker

Jo-Anne Brown (University of Calgary)

Description

Teaching large physics classes - especially to non-physics majors that may have developed an extraordinary aversion to anything math-related - can be a challenge, even for the best instructors. However, there are a few techniques, drawn from psychology, that can help improve the experience for both the instructor and the students. In this talk, I will present a 'five-step program' I developed that works effectively for any level of class I teach. The result of this program has been high student satisfaction for the course, as well as a retention of my sanity.