"Apparently, they could jump through the hoops and learned to do the procedures [of physics problems], but never knew the basics," Mazur says.
"They were copying everything into notebooks, but the information needed to be where it counted: in their minds. But it wasn't getting there."
Who's the Teacher?
He decided to eliminate the information transfer inherent in most lecturing environments, and instead devised a system of teaching based on reading assignments and class involvement.
With funding from the Pew Foundation and then later from the National Science Foundation, he began researching educational techniques that would become his peer instruction philosophy, and applied them to the classes he has taught.
"The point was to teach by questioning rather than telling," Mazur says.
Since his change in teaching style, the main complaint Mazur now hears is no longer that he lectures directly from his notes or from the textbook.
Read more in News
Knowles: Faculty Recruitment Will Be Top PriorityRecommended Articles
-
Knowles Honors Six Faculty for TeachingDean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Jeremy R. Knowles named six professors as Harvard College Professors--annual awards given
-
Computer System Evaluates StudentsIn most Harvard lecture classes students who don't understand the course material can hide in the back of the room.
-
Study: AP Science Courses Are Poor Substitutes for College WorkScores on Advanced Placement (AP) science exams do not translate into success in introductory level college science courses, according to
-
Technology Finds Its Place in ClassesPRS Clickers, blogs, and even Google’s Android cell phone are all showing up in classrooms across Harvard’s campus. But many
-
Professors Explore Alternatives to Traditional LecturesIn physics and applied physics professor Eric Mazur’s classes, hundreds of students debate physics problems in small groups, consulting their laptops and phones as they search for the right answer.
-
How to Teach the TeachersPhysics professor Eric Mazur has been recognized internationally for his research program in optical physics as well as his work in science education. The Harvard Crimson interviewed Professor Mazur to find out more about his role as a science educator.
