SCALE-UP
Integrating with other methods
SCALE-UP can be used in conjunction with nearly any research-based teaching method. Because SCALE-UP is a learning environment rather than a curriculum, you can use any curriculum with it, as long as that curriculum is based on active learning in small groups.
Here are a few examples of curricular materials from other teaching methods that have been used successfully with SCALE-UP:
- Peer Instruction: Clicker questions make good ponderables for a SCALE-UP classroom.
- Tutorials: Tutorials in Introductory Physics, Activity-based Tutorials, and Open Source Tutorialscan be incorporated into a SCALE-UP classroom. Usually these require some modification with periodic whole-class check-ins to make sure all the groups are keeping up.
- Cooperative group problem-solving with Context-rich problems: This collection of problems for small groups from the University of Minnesota has been used in many SCALE-UP classrooms.
- Tasks Inspired by Physics Education Research and Ranking Task Exercises in Physics: These collections of short conceptual tasks work well for small group work in a SCALE-UP classroom.
- Thinking problems: This collection of problems from the University of Maryland are also great for small group work in a SCALE-UP classroom.
- PhET Interactive Simulations and Physlets: These and other simulations are designed for conceptual learning and can be used for small group activities or homework in SCALE-UP.
- Just In Time Teaching: Short questions that students answer outside of class are a good way to get students ready to participate actively in a SCALE-UP classroom.
- Microcomputer-based laboratories: Many SCALE-UP classrooms incorporate hands-on MBL activities.
Since SCALE-UP classrooms are often large and need extra instructors to help facilitate group work, many schools use a Learning Assistant Program to train undergraduate learning assistants to help out in the classroom.
See the lists of compatible methods and similar in the left sidebar for more ideas of other methods than can be used with SCALE-UP.
