Document Type

Article

Article Version

Publisher's PDF

Publication Date

9-1-2022

Abstract

Interactive classroom demonstrations (ICDs) are used extensively in physics, and prior studies indicate that, when conducted under certain conditions, they lead to appreciable increases in student gains and retention. The literature suggests that the ICD recipe for maximizing student gain is to i) introduce the physical theory that will be demonstrated, ii) describe the demonstration and prompt students to record a prediction for what will happen, iii) conduct the demonstration, and iv) return to the prediction for students to reconcile their hypotheses. Here, I propose two interrelated updates to leverage the particular strengths of Generation Z students currently enrolled in introductory physics courses as well as to address potential pitfalls in the canonical ICD recipe: the inclusion of simple, yet flashy demonstrations, and the integration of social media to disseminate and further engage with the results.

Comments

© 2022 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by American Association of Physics Teachers.

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in R.H Nazarian, Phys. Teach. 60, 504–507 (2022) and may be found at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0042862.

Publication Title

The Physics Teacher

Published Citation

Robert H. Nazarian, "A Modified Recipe for Interactive Classroom Demonstrations", The Physics Teacher 60, 504-507 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0042862

DOI

10.1119/5.0042862

Peer Reviewed

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