Why are there lectures? Could we live without them? Who ordered them anyway? These are important questions that many students have thought about vaguely, but they deserve more serious consideration. The “lecture” derives from the medieval university. In those days, before the printing press, access to educational materials was defined by a model of scarcity:…
The current issue of Harvard Magazine includes a profile of Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics Eric Mazur, who is among those leading efforts to transform the way Harvard students learn. Professor Mazur has long been an advocate of the use of clickers and pioneered the implementation of peer instruction. (Also featured in the article…
The White House recently called on the nation’s universities to produce more science graduates by adopting better teaching techniques. But which teaching techniques are most effective? A new study shows that learner-centered courses, taken early in a college career, can prime students to get more out of traditional lecture courses. Tomorrow’s Professor shares Jason N.…
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