Whole-Class Strategies

This first Active Learning strategy leverages the exploratory nature of simulations in the context of a whole-class discussion. Teachers can use this strategy to introduce a topic and to help students broadly understand a natural or mathematical system. During Whole-Class Inquiry, the teacher is responsible for guiding the conversation flow between students engaging with the whole class.

• Choose a topic and a sim that will help you address that topic.

• Brainstorm the learning goals you could achieve with the sim.

• For each goal, come up with a series of questions that you could ask your students to generate discussion.

• Be sure to include the different types of questions described in this workshop!

• Order the questions in a logical way according to the development of the topic.

Use the template below to guide your planning of a Whole-Class Inquiry activity:

This second Active Learning strategy leverages the predictive nature of simulations in the context of a whole-class discussion, supported by individual predictions and explanations. Teachers can use this strategy to deeply explore relationships among variables in a natural or mathematical system.

An Interactive Lecture Demonstration (ILD) is a strategy that is especially useful in larger classes or when a teacher wants more structure. In an ILD, teachers prepare a guided document called a prediction sheet in which students write down their predictions, explanations, and observations of the demonstration that will be presented in class. This approach differs from Whole-Class Inquiry by more systematically having students practice writing as they defend predictions or hypotheses, sketch diagrams to represent mental models, and compare various scenarios, among other skills.

• Choose a topic and one or more sims, as appropriate.

• Establish the learning goals that you could cover with the selected sim.

• Plan at least three demonstrations and design their respective prediction questions. Remember that the demonstrations need to be linked to your learning goals.

• Order the questions logically according to the flow and development of the topic.

Use the following template to guide your draft for an Interactive Lecture Demonstration activity.

This third Active Learning strategy leverages the dynamism and multi-representational nature of simulations in the context of a whole-class discussion focused around specific questions and potential answers, supported by discussions among peers. Teachers can use this strategy to focus students’ thinking on specific elements of a natural or mathematical system.

In some cases, you might want to further simplify the kind of guidance you provide to explore a sim, while restricting the scenario that students consider. Concept Questions are challenging multiple-choice questions that can be integrated with the use of polling tools. These tools can be low-tech, such as pieces of paper with large, visible response options (e.g., A, B, C, D) that students can hold up with their hand for the teacher to see, or digital apps that relay choices from students’ mobile devices to a website. In combination with Peer Instruction, such questions allow all students to consider a specific selection of possible answers, while also discussing answers and their reasoning for those answers with their peers.

• Establish the learning goals that you could cover with the selected sim.

• Create at least three Concept Questions related to the topic and learning goal that make use of the PhET sim. Remember to include images of the sim either in the question or in the answer choices. Place each question on a separate slide, and place the answer in the notes section of the slide.

• Remember that it is not necessary to start from scratch. Look for Multiple Choice (MC) activities using PhET’s activity browser in the PhET website, or directly in the table of Activities in each sim landing page. (Please note that some of these activities might need to be adapted for PhET’s newer sim versions).

**You can review this Concept Questions example for chemistry and use it as a guide.

The use of Whole-Class Inquiry, Interactive Lecture Demonstrations, and Concept Questions are not mutually exclusive. You can combine them to make your class more dynamic, taking advantage of the benefits of each strategy, and minimizing their limitations. For example, after having a series of prediction questions, you can go deeper into the topic with follow-up questions in a more informal format via a Whole-Class Inquiry discussion, and conclude the topic with a quick evaluation using some Concept Questions.