Increasing the effectiveness of active learning using deliberate practice: A homework transformation
Open accessAbstract
We show how learning can be improved, beyond that shown in actively taught classrooms, by also transforming the homework using the principles of deliberate practice.We measure the impact of transforming the homework on student learning in a course that had already implemented an active approach to teaching in class.We compare performance on the same final exam in equivalent cohorts of students over three semesters of an introductory physics course: the first taught with traditional lectures and traditional homework, the second taught with active instruction coupled with traditional homework, and the last taught with both active instruction and transformed homework.We find students in the semester where both active teaching and transformed homework are used scored significantly higher on the final exam than the students taught actively but with traditional homework.This learning gain achieved by transforming the homework is comparable to that achieved by replacing traditional lectures with active teaching strategies in class.We further show the positive effects of transforming the homework on student learning through a shorter, controlled experiment.When everything but the homework implementation is controlled, students scored 5%-10% higher on a test of learning following transformed homework compared with traditional homework.This significant improvement to learning occurs despite students spending a similar amount of time on task.This study represents an initial step towards understanding how deliberate practice can be extended to improve pedagogy beyond what happens in the classroom to the out-of-class homework.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The instructional approach has proved to be a successful implementation of active learning and has been shown to offer a significant improvement over passive lectures.
“This instructional approach has proved to be a successful implementation of active learning, and has been shown to offer a significant improvement over passive lectures 33.”
From AI tutoring outperforms in-class active learning: an RCT introducing a novel research-based design in an authentic educational setting (2025) · cites this paper as [33]
Cites
Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1319030111 · Cited by 9,787 · see citing works
The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance
Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C. (1993) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.100.3.363 · Cited by 9,564 · see citing works
Hake, R. R. (1998) · American Journal of Physics · doi:10.1119/1.18809 · Cited by 6,072 · see citing works
Hestenes, D., Wells, M., & Swackhamer, G. (1992) · The Physics Teacher · doi:10.1119/1.2343497 · Cited by 3,235 · see citing works
Ericsson, K. A. (2004) · Academic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00001888-200410001-00022 · Cited by 2,988 · see citing works
Peer Instruction: Ten years of experience and results
Crouch, C. H., & Mazur, E. (2001) · American Journal of Physics · doi:10.1119/1.1374249 · Cited by 2,682 · see citing works
Deliberate practice and acquisition of expert performance: a general overview
Anders Ericsson, K. (2008) · Academic Emergency Medicine · doi:10.1111/j.1553-2712.2008.00227.x · Cited by 1,827 · see citing works
Ericsson, K. A. (2006) · The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511816796.038 · Cited by 1,629 · see citing works
Deslauriers, L., McCarty, L. S., Miller, K., Callaghan, K., & Kestin, G. (2019) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1821936116 · Cited by 1,371 · see citing works
Self-citationImproved Learning in a Large-Enrollment Physics Class
Deslauriers, L., Schelew, E., & Wieman, C. (2011) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1201783 · Cited by 1,270 · see citing works
Self-citationAdams, W. K., Perkins, K. K., Podolefsky, N. S., Dubson, M., Finkelstein, N. D., & Wieman, C. (2006) · Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevstper.2.010101 · Cited by 697 · see citing works
Teaching and physics education research: bridging the gap
Fraser, J. M., Timan, A. L., Miller, K., Dowd, J. E., Tucker, L., & Mazur, E. (2014) · Reports on Progress in Physics · doi:10.1088/0034-4885/77/3/032401 · Cited by 422 · see citing works
Self-citationEvaluating an electricity and magnetism assessment tool: Brief electricity and magnetism assessment
Ding, L., Chabay, R. W., Sherwood, B. A., & Beichner, R. J. (2006) · Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevstper.2.010105 · Cited by 414 · see citing works
A Comparison of Traditional Homework to Computer-Supported Homework
Mendicino, M., Razzaq, L. M., & Heffernan, N. T. (2009) · Journal of Research on Technology in Education · doi:10.1080/15391523.2009.10782534 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Learning and retention of quantum concepts with different teaching methods
Deslauriers, L., & Wieman, C. (2011) · Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevstper.7.010101 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Self-citationCheng, K. H., Thacker, B. A., Cardenas, R. L., & Crouch, C. H. (2004) · American Journal of Physics · doi:10.1119/1.1768555 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Analyzing the many skills involved in solving complex physics problems
Adams, W. K., & Wieman, C. (2015) · American Journal of Physics · doi:10.1119/1.4913923 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Improving Academic Achievement
Aronson, J. M. (2002) · Cited by 98 · see citing works
The Routledge International Handbook of Student-Centered Learning and Teaching in Higher Education
Hoidn, S., & Klemenčić, M. (2020) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780429259371 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Case Study Using Online Homework in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry: Results and Student Attitudes
Parker, L. L., & LOUDON, G. M. (2012) · Journal of Chemical Education · doi:10.1021/ed300270t · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Kortemeyer, G., Kashy, E., Benenson, W., & Bauer, W. (2008) · American Journal of Physics · doi:10.1119/1.2835046 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
Mikula, B. D., & Heckler, A. F. (2017) · Physical Review Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.13.010122 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
The Role of the Lecturer as Tutor: Doing What Effective Tutors Do in a Large Lecture Class
Wood, W. B., & Tanner, K. D. (2012) · CBE—Life Sciences Education · doi:10.1187/cbe.11-12-0110 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Wieman, C. (2019) · Daedalus · doi:10.1162/daed_a_01760 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Comparing the effectiveness of online versus live lecture demonstrations
Kestin, G., Miller, K., McCarty, L. S., Callaghan, K., & Deslauriers, L. (2020) · Physical Review Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.16.013101 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Self-citationTransforming a fourth year modern optics course using a deliberate practice framework
Jones, D. J., Madison, K. W., & Wieman, C. (2015) · Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevstper.11.020108 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Kestin, G., Miller, K., Klales, A., Milbourne, T., & Ponti, G. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-97652-6 · Cited by 214 · see citing works
“This instructional approach has proved to be a successful implementation of active learning, and has been shown to offer a significant improvement over passive lectures 33 .”
Self-citationToward AI grading of student problem solutions in introductory physics: A feasibility study
Kortemeyer, G. (2023) · Physical Review Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.19.020163 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Assisted Discovery Based Learning of the Electric Force with Scaffolding for Novice Students
Gutierrez, O. A., Galloway, R., Santos-Guevara, A., Martínez-Huerta, H., & González, H. (2022) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci12040269 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Improving the Effectiveness of Physics Homework: A Minds-on Simulation-Based Approach
Mešić, V., Jusko, A., Beatović, B., & Fetahović-Hrvat, A. (2021) · European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education · doi:10.30935/scimath/11383 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Increased learning in a college physics course with timely use of short multimedia summaries
Dunleavy, S., Kestin, G., Callaghan, K., McCarty, L. S., & Deslauriers, L. (2022) · Physical Review Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.18.010110 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationA Generic Multilevel Structure for Educational Escape Rooms
Roig, P. J., Alcaraz, S., Gilly, K., Bernad, C., & Juiz, C. (2024) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci14050488 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
ChatGPT and deliberate practice for interpreting graphs
Albrecht, N. (2024) · The Physics Teacher · doi:10.1119/5.0238563 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Updating Our Approach to Intermediate Microeconomics
Halliday, S. D., & Mamunuru, S. M. (2025) · The American Economist · doi:10.1177/05694345251353131 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Active learning through flexible collaborative exams: Improving assessments across disciplines
Callaghan, K., Kestin, G., Klales, A., McCarty, L., & Deslauriers, L. (2026) · Active Learning in Higher Education · doi:10.1177/14697874251344293 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
“Homework assignments are designed to encourage deliberate practice, focusing on developing specific subskills with detailed and immediate feedback (Miller et al., 2021).”
Self-citationComparison Between Guided and Non-Guided Homework as a Tool for Learning Electric Circuit Theory
Díez, R., Fajardo, A., & Hurtado, J. A. (2025) · Education Sciences · doi:10.3390/educsci15070857 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Spor Yönetimi, Spor Yöneticiliği Eğitimi ve Deneyimsel Öğrenme
Parlar, F. M. (2023) · Akademisyen Kitabevi eBooks · doi:10.37609/akya.2871 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Enhancing effectiveness and inclusivity of introductory ME courses: A cognitive psychology approach
Krynen, F.-C., Salehi, S., & Wieman, C. (2024) · ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition · doi:10.18260/1-2--41481 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Callaghan, K., Milbourne, T., Klales, A., Kestin, G., Arguelles, C., McCarty, L., & Deslauriers, L. (2026) · Journal of College Science Teaching · doi:10.1080/0047231x.2026.2620442 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“…interactive lectures combine small-group activities and instructor feedback (Deslauriers et al., 2011; Deslauriers & Wieman, 2011; Beyer et al., 2016; McCarty & Deslauriers, 2020) and reinforce deliberate practice throughout (Ericsson et al, 1993; Miller et al., 2021, Dunleavy et al., 2022).”
Self-citationThe Tarzan Swing—25 Years Later and Still Jumping
Trout, K. P., & Ilyes, M. A. (2023) · The Physics Teacher · doi:10.1119/5.0120859
Liu, Q., Prakash, H. M., & Heckler, A. F. (2025) · Physical Review Physics Education Research · doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.21.010121
Li, F. Q. (2026) · Innovations in Education and Teaching International · doi:10.1080/14703297.2026.2619475
- Authors
- Miller, K., Callaghan, K., McCarty, L. S., & Deslauriers, L.
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Deslauriers, Louis
- Venue
- Physical Review Physics Education Research
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2021-04-23
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 2469-9896 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3158437475
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 3.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Physical Review Physics Education Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Harvard University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovative Teaching Methods
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
- Social Sciences › Education › Educational Methods and Outcomes
- Keywords
- deliberate practice, active learning, introductory physics education, learning outcomes, exam performance
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
