Introduction to research-based teaching in physics (Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite)

posted December 27, 2023
by Joe Redish, with introduction by Sam McKagan

Teaching Physics with the Physics Suite is a book written by Joe Redish, one of the early leaders of physics education research. It was published in 2003 and still provides one of the best introductions to research-based teaching in physics. You can download the entire book in pdf format for free here on PhysPort, or buy it from Wiley. This book provides an introduction what research in physics education and cognitive science says about how to support students in learning physics more effectively, and an overview of methods that can help you improve your physics teaching. While the book is ostensibly about a particular set of materials called the Physics Suite, the advice in it is relevant and useful independent of whether you are using any of these particular materials.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 -- Motivation and Introduction

Chapter 2 -- Modeling the Student: An introduction to Cognitive Theory

Chapter 3 -- There's More to Content to a Physics Course: The hidden curriculum

Chapter 4 -- Extending our Assessments: Homework and Testing

Chapter 5 -- Evaluating our Instruction: Surveys and Diagnostic Tests

Chapter 6 -- Instructional Implications: Some Effective Teaching Methods

Chapter 7 -- Lecture-Based Methods

Chapter 8 -- Recitation and Laboratory-Based Methods

Chapter 9 -- Workshop and Studio Methods

Chapter 10 -- Using the Physics Suite

Bibliography

Download entire book as a zip file

Buy the print book