Physics education research: do short, post-lecture multimedia summaries improve learning?

Synopsis

A recent Harvard study explored the use of a short (1-2 minute) post-lecture multimedia summary in the context of an entry-level physics lecture. These summaries are intended to help students organize ideas when they feel overwhelmed with new information, without requiring appreciable study time. Results of the study show students who used the summary gained a better understanding of the material and reported higher self-confidence in approaching homework. This talk will review the findings of the study and present its recommendations for creating effective summaries.