Teaching Introductory Physics with Turning Point Software

Physics professors attempt to engage students in the learning of physics by teaching this subject in a manner that students will perceive as relevant, interesting, fun, intriguing, and clear. Perhaps, the most valuable contribution that a professor can make to a student's education is to stimulate an interest in a particular discipline. To accomplish this, a professor has to be a performer. One doesn't necessarily have to entertain, but one must bring a certain level of enthusiasm and energy to a classroom in order to engage the students. If they are not engaged in the classroom, students will not learn effectively. Towards this end, Turning Point software was used to create new classroom presentations for FMU's introductory physics class in the Fall of 2008. Turning Point is essentially Power Point, but it provides one with the ability to embed interactive questions within a presentation. Students in the class respond to these questions by using radio frequency devices known as ``clickers.'' An analysis of the effectiveness of this approach, as well as a comparison to traditional chalk and blackboard methods, will be presented.