Active Expressions 101

Why use the Active Expressions?

a) Easy-to-useb) Quick assessment toolc) Immediate feedback d) Students can answer questions anonymously or have a title their namee) Can use in test/quiz for (with automatic grading)f) Easy-to-use

In order to use the active expressions you need the bags of “clickers” and the receiver. Then follow the steps listed below:

1. Plug the receiver goes into any USB port in your computer2. Have fun.

THAT’S IT!!! Once plugged in you are ready to begin. No programs to download, software to upload, no helpdesk tickets…. no problems at all.

Questions do not need to be pre-programmed in (although that feature is available if you want. You can pre-load questions and print them out into WKST form. Cool, huh.)

Questions and answers can be made up “on-the-fly” to go with the lesson you are teaching that day or possibly to review a lesson from a previous day.

Questions can come in all different shapes and sizes and be in multiple forms. You can design questions that will be best suited for your students. There is not a specific way to submit questions and not a specific link you must use.

Questions can be cross-curriculum related in order to generate deeper levels of thinking and expand their general knowledge – not just their mathematical skills.

TRUST ME!!!

IT’S EASY!!!

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When submitting answers:

It is much like texting. However, there is no “T9” feature. Therefore, for particular letters you must click the button 2-3 times to get different letters/numbers/symbols from the same key on the keypad.

By clicking the a/A/1/ button in the bottom left corner you can see how the input of answers will differ. Did you notice how the tab in the top right corner of the screen changed from abc Abc ABC 123. This will lock the way letters are inpuitted.

By clicking on the MENU/SYM button you can choose symbols instead of letters. This will be many of the symbols on the side of the Active expressions but also some Greek letters, Currency symbols, brackets, parenthesis, and many other symbols you may need.

After you answer has been typed just click “Send” using the tab in the top half of the Active Expression. (Make sure you tell your kids to CHECK THEIR ANSWERS before submitting because they type the wrong thing in lots of times. I hear, I meant to put in 152 and only put in 15. Tell them to check their answers.)

Who answered the question: Turn on/off the Active expressions that are being used (or not being used) so you are not waiting for them to answer. There is a feature where you can randomize your active expressions or just hand them out. Sooner or later the students figure out who is who.

Also, you may use a timer so that kids cannot just sit around and do nothing. They must answer the question in the time given.

Results:

Horizontal/Vertical Bar Graph: A quick snapshot of the percentages of correct and incorrect responses.

Who Answered what Graph: A grid of everyone’s response

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Who Answered What List: A list of everyone’s responses. Inthis feature you can also see how fast it took them to answer the question. You can also sort the answers too if needed.

Overall Instructor-Paced scores: You can input your answersto give the students a quick summary of their responses and a score to go with it.

Summary: This is a grid of all the questions and all the Responses from the students.

Additional Features with Results

By clicking on the top right buttons you can

Assign a correct answer Copy text to your flip chart (ABC answer only) Paste the results onto a flip chart

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Extras: This icon will carry to your

desktop in the event you have a worksheet on another paper (word, excel, etc.) that you want students to look off of.

Closing the Active expressions:To close, click on the “tools” icon and then the red “X.”

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Words as answers Multiple Choice Answers

Numeric Answers Ordering Answers

Likert Scale Yes/No and True/False Answers

Tools

Sample Question 1: What is the value of 4!

Sample Question 2a: What is the capital city of Canada?

Sample Question 2b: Simplify this equation:

4x – 6y + 2x + 11y

Sample Question 3: What are the odds of picking a blue chip out of a bag that contains 4 red, 5 blue, 3 yellow, 3 purple.

a. 1/2

b. 1/3

c. 2/1

d. 3/1

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Sample Question 4: List these in order from least to greatest.

a. 3/2b. √2 c. 1.3 d. 11 – 2 * 5

Sample Question 5: True or false (or don’t know) “In your opinion, The PSSA’s are an accurate assessmentof a student’s knowledge and should be kept around fora LONG time.”

Sample Question 6: I find this Active expression tool to be helpful and I could use it in my classroom.