Peer instruction
Applied on the course of
Financial Mathematics
February 2010
Objectives
At the end of this session, attendants will be able to:
1. Describe the foundations of “Peer Instruction”
2. List the characteristics of ConcepTests
3. Describe how ConcepTests are managed and discussed
4. Apply the methodology to other classes on exact
sciences
Summary
• Background
• Peer Instruction
• ConcepTests and examples
• Experiences on implementation
• Projects for improvement
Background:
Dr. Eric Mazur
•Eric Mazur is the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Harvard University.
He is an internationally recognized scientist and researcher. He leads a vigorous research
program in optical physics and supervises one of the the largest research groups in the
Physics Department at Harvard University.
•In addition to his work in optical physics, Dr. Mazur is interested in education, science
policy, outreach, and the public perception of science. He believes that better science
education for all -- not just science majors -- is vital for continued scientific progress.
•To this end, Dr. Mazur devotes part of his research group's effort to education research
and finding verifiable ways to improve science education. In 1990 he began developing
Peer Instruction a method for teaching large lecture classes interactively. Dr. Mazur's
teaching method has developed a large following, both nationally and internationally, and
has been adopted across many science disciplines.
from http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/emdetails.php
Background: The problem
During Physics course
•Students learn algorithmic ways for problem-solving
•Students learn little Physics (fundamental concepts)
•Reasoning skills are acquired through cooperative activities
Background:
Peer Instruction
• Methodology by Eric Mazur
(Harvard,1999)
• Proven on
–
–
–
–
Elementary Physics
Calculus
Astronomy
Chemistry
• Goal: develop comprehension of
underlying concepts
Peer Instruction
• Methodology that involves all the students
to apply and explain the concepts of the
class
Peer Instruction
• Small number of short lectures focused on
key points
• ConcepTests in multiple choice format
Peer Instruction
from http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/
Examples of ConcepTests
from http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/
Examples of ConcepTests
• Consider a rectangular
metal plate with a circular
hole in it.
• When the plate is
uniformly heated, the
diameter of the hole:
A. increases.
B. stays the same.
C. decreases.
de http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/
ConcepTests
•
Characteristics of an adequate
ConcepTest
1.
2.
It focuses on only one concept
Its solution must require reasoning and not plugging data in an
equation
Its contains one right and other wrong but plausible answers
It is unambiguous
It is not too hard, nor too easy
3.
4.
5.
de http://mazur-www.harvard.edu/
Experiences on implementation
• Similarities in mathematical models for
physics and finance
• Similarities in problems faced by students
• Desire to apply the methodology in
financial mathematics
Experiences on implementation
• Similarities Newtonian Physics – Finance
– Three laws – several phenomena
• Identification of core concepts :
– Growth of money through time
– Simple interest as an arithmetic series
– Compound interest as a geometric series
Experiences on implementation
•
$ 100 today are _________ $ 100 in ten
years
a. More than
b. Less than
c. The same as
Experiences on implementation
• Which loan generates as much interest
at the same rate (simple interest)?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
$ 100 in one year
$ 200 in six months
$ 25 in four years
None
There is not enough information to tell
Experiences on implementation
•
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
a.
b.
c.
The more times money is capitalized in the year,
the larger the effective rate
The more times money is capitalized, the lower
the effective rate is than the nominal rate
There is no relationship between the number of
times money is capitalized and the nominal and
the effective rate
Experiences on implementation
•
Previous reading
•
Class time
•
General Interest
•
Homework
Projects for improvement
• Implementation of JITT
• Evaluation and improvement of ConcepTests
• Creation of Database of ConcepTests
• Research (statistics, test groups,…)
Objectives
At the end of this session, attendants will be able to:
1. Describe the foundations of “Peer Instruction”
2. List the characteristics of ConcepTests
3. Describe how ConcepTests are managed and discussed
4. Apply the methodology to other classes on exact
sciences
Questions
Thank you
[email protected]