Follow the easy ConcepTest strategy using multiple-choice questions, peer discussion and instant feedback to boost learners’ critical thinking and understanding
All teachers should aspire to give high-quality teacher-led explanations. However, we should also be mindful that while they give students an opportunity to learn, they don’t guarantee it – especially in science lessons, where explanations can be complex.
We can learn a surprising amount about science teaching by looking at two titans of US undergraduate physics teaching, Richard Feynman and Eric Mazur. Though the Feynman Lectures are often held up as the gold standard of science oration, Feynman himself was pessimistic about how far a great lecture alone could secure deep understanding.
In his book, Peer instruction, Eric Mazur shares how the ConcepTest teaching technique he pioneered at Harvard can help improve learning and understanding for all students when used alongside high-quality explanations.
We can learn a surprising amount about science teaching by looking at two titans of US undergraduate physics teaching, Richard Feynman and Eric Mazur. Though the Feynman Lectures are often held up as the gold standard of science oration, Feynman himself was pessimistic about how far a great lecture alone could secure deep understanding (bit.ly/4wT3asL).
In his book, Peer instruction, Eric Mazur shares how the ConcepTest teaching technique he pioneered at Harvard can help improve learning and understanding for all students when used alongside high-quality explanations.
What is the ConcepTest and how does it work?
ConcepTests are multiple-choice questions based around a key concept that assesses student understanding, providing both the teacher and student with instant feedback.
This method can be based solely on a written question, but it’s also very effective during a practical demonstration. It gives students a chance to think before they explain the rationale for their answer to the class.
Though all science teachers should ask regular questions and use a range of questioning techniques, the ConcepTest has a formalised approach with a sequence to follow. I have adapted the process from Eric Mazur’s Peer instruction:
What is it?
ConcepTests are multiple-choice questions based around a key concept that assesses student understanding, providing both the teacher and student with instant feedback.
This method can be based solely on a written question, but it’s also very effective during a practical demonstration. It gives students a chance to think before they explain the rationale for their answer to the class.
Though all science teachers should ask regular questions and use a range of questioning techniques, the ConcepTest has a formalised approach with a sequence to follow (rsc.li/45T9AMq). I have adapted the process from Eric Mazur’s Peer instruction:
| Phase | Approximate time |
|---|---|
|
Teacher asks a question |
One minute |
|
Students think individually and (optionally) record answers |
One minute |
|
Students explain their choice to neighbours and can change their own answers |
Two minutes |
|
Teacher gathers students’ answers and offers correct explanation |
Two minutes or more |
Using a ConcepTest in a practical
Now, let’s imagine using a ConcepTest within the class demonstration I discussed in my recent article on hinge point questions.
You are about to burn 0.5 g of magnesium ribbon, and you ask the class:
‘What will be the mass of the products left in the crucible: less than 0.5 g, 0.5 g or more than 0.5 g?’
If we went straight to the demonstration, some students may be surprised by the increase in mass. Others, though, would not have thought to compare it to burning wood, which decreases in mass when burnt. Until the students discuss their thoughts with their neighbours, they remain isolated in their thinking and are likely to hold onto their initial ideas. If you don’t give them a chance to share their reasoning, the more confident students may dominate whole-class discussions.
But what happens if most students get the answer wrong? Revisit the concept and pinpoint misconceptions until students have understood it.
Use in practicals
Now, let’s imagine using a ConcepTest within the class demonstration I discussed in my recent article on hinge point questions (rsc.li/4gmCz17).
You are about to burn 0.5 g of magnesium ribbon, and you ask the class:
‘What will be the mass of the products left in the crucible: less than 0.5 g, 0.5 g or more than 0.5 g?’
If we went straight to the demonstration, some students may be surprised by the increase in mass. Others, though, would not have thought to compare it to burning wood, which decreases in mass when burnt. Until the students discuss their thoughts with their neighbours, they remain isolated in their thinking and are likely to hold onto their initial ideas. If you don’t give them a chance to share their reasoning, the more confident students may dominate whole-class discussions.
But what happens if most students get the answer wrong? Revisit the concept and pinpoint misconceptions until students have understood it (rsc.li/3U4XLA8).
ConcepTests understanding
Here’s an example I’ve adapted from The conceptual academy chemistry concept inventory.
Test individual understanding
Here’s an example I’ve adapted from The conceptual academy chemistry concept inventory (bit.ly/4gkm7Pj).
Which of the following is an example of a chemical change?
- Water freezing into ice crystals.
- Perfume on your skin generating a smell.
- A piece of metal expanding when heated.
- Breaking a glass window.
- Petrol used in car’s engine producing exhaust.
If this is only included in a student booklet, you’d miss the chance to assess understanding and give timely feedback. Asking the question as a ConcepTest first can help build confidence and increase the percentage of correct answers.
The ConcepTest is a powerful way to develop critical thinking and confident communication skills, but it is perhaps an under-recognised and underused tool for assessment and feedback. When used regularly, it also tacitly communicates to students that it is OK to not know the answer to everything: conceptual understanding is something that everyone needs to work at.
Alan Denton
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