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Abstract: 'We compared the amounts of learning achieved using two different instructional approaches under controlled conditions. We measured the learning of a specific set of topics and objectives when taught by 3 hours of traditional lecture given by an experienced highly rated instructor and 3 hours of instruction given by a trained but inexperienced instructor using instruction based on research in cognitive psychology and physics education. The comparison was made between two large sections (N = 267 and N = 271) of an introductory undergraduate physics course. We found increased student attendance, higher engagement, and more than twice the learning in the section taught using research-based instruction." 

In the on-going quest for improved learning in large-class settings, an active-learning approach for an introductory physics course yielded mixed results, according to a new report from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Modified Peer Instruction in Large Introductory Physics Classes examined the use of collaborative, multiple-choice format question (MCFQ)-writing activities for students as a supplement to standard peer instruction methods.