Clickers…Kimberly DavisGregory DomsonCarrie LewisChristina LichvarLaura MorganCharlette Ridout

Let’s Get Connected!

Objectives•Demonstrate familiarity with the use of

audience response systems (ARS) both as an instructor and a student

•Describe advantages of the use of ARS in the classroom

•List challenges of using ARS in the classroom

•Describe effective ways of implementing ARS in the classroom and avoid pitfalls

Have you ever used clickers in the classroom?

a. No, I have never used clickers.b. Yes, I have used clickers as an instructor.c. Yes, I have used clickers as a student.d. Yes, I have used clickers as a student and

instructor.

History

Which of the following do you expect to be true about ARS?

a. Improves attendanceb. Allows for contingent teachingc. Improves learning performanced. Increases student participatione. Promotes class discussion

Advantages

General Strategies•Technology easy to learn

•Limits copying

Motivational Strategies

•Class attendance increased •Entertaining, fun,

“game” like

•Positive student and teacher

attitude

•Anonymous

•Active Participati

on

Assessment Strategies

•Contingent

teaching•Prompt feedback

•Formative

assessment

•Determine student preparati

on

Learning Strategies• Helps with fading attention

span

• Increases quantity and quality of class discussions

• Perception of increased quality of learning

• Boosts user confidence on increasingly difficult

questions

• Increases learning performance

What is needed prior to implementing clickers into the classroom?

a. Instructor and student educationb. Financial investment by the institution

and studentsc. Instructor back up pland. All of the above

Challenges

•Time to educate instructors about clicker technology

•Faculty discomfort to employ the use of technical equipment

•Financial implications •Decreased content coverage•Not as well liked for summative assessment•Time to analyze responses

Conflicting information•Belief that technology in classrooms

increases passivity and interferes with active learning

•Does not improve test score

Technology Difficulties•Difficulty registering clickers

•Dead batteries

•Unregistered responses

•Failure to bring clickers to class

Alternatives•Cell phones/Laptops/Table PCs

▫Text messaging or photo messaging answers to instructor via email

▫+ most already have equipment, small size, increased student motivation, appreciation of anonymity

▫- cost per message, slow entry for key pad, problem finding symbols

Tips for Use• Keep questions short and simple

• Allow preparation time

• Encourage discussion

• Do not overuse

• Allow adequate response time

More than just questions

•CPS 6.0 Training Videos

•CPS Experience

Which of the following best describes your experience with the clickers tonight?a. I enjoyed using the clickers and would

like to learn more.b. I can see the value in using clickers and

would like to learn more.c. I do not see the value and will not

explore further.d. I did not enjoy using the clickers but am

willing to learn more and try again.

POST QUIZ

1. Which of the following are possible disadvantages of using an audience response system?

a. Technical difficultiesb. Time to analyze responsec. Financial implicationsd. Faculty training e. All of the above

2. The literature has shown that audience response systems are effective in all of the following modalities EXCEPT:

a. formative assessmentb. summative assessmentc. increase in attendance d. improved class participatione. creates contingent teaching

3. Audience response systems have shown conflicting data related to improved learning outcomes.

a. Trueb. False

4. What is/are examples of technical difficulties?

a. Computer malfunctionb. Failure to bring clicker to classc. Difficulty registering clickersd. Dead batteriese. All of the above

5. Which is an effective way to utilize audience response systems?

a. Frequently use multiple questions at one timeb. Allow adequate time for answersc. Elaborate questions d. Short preparation is required

Quality of Instruction

1. How effective do you think the clicker presentation was?

a. Not effective

b. Somewhat effective

c. Very effective

2. How likely would you be to implement the use of clickers while you are teaching?

a. Not likely

b. Probably

c. Very likely

3. Was this clicker presentation well organized?

a. Not organized

b. Somewhat organized

c. Very organized

4. How well were you able to understand the clicker presentation?

a. Couldn’t understand

b. Mostly understood

c. Very understandable

5. Do you think clickers are a useful instructional strategy?

a. No

b. Maybe

c. Yes

6. Please use the cards provided for any additional comments you have.

ReferencesDeBourgh, G. (2008). Use of classroom "clickers" to promote

acquisition of advanced reasoning skills. Nurse Education in Practice, 8(2), 76-87.

This article describes the use of clicker technology in a baccalaureate nursing program for the application and acquisition of advanced reasoning skills.  Operation of clicker technology, elements of design for engaging learning events, students’ perceptions of clicker use, and costs and challenges of using clicker technology are summarized.  The article suggests the use of clickers in the classroom engage students in active learning.   

Kay, R. H., & Lesage, A. (2009).  A strategic assessment of audience response systems used in higher education.  Australasian Journal of Education Technology, 25(2), 235-249. 

This article starts with a review of the literature concerning audience response systems (ARS) in higher education and then transitions into strategies, techniques, and tips that can utilized with this technology.  Strategies include motivational strategies (increased attendance and participation), assessment strategies (formative, summative, and contingent teaching), and learning based strategies (improved attention, interaction, peer-based instruction, and pre-class reading along with effective class-based discussions, case studies, and experiments).  Several suggestions include beginning with practice questions; questions should be thought out, original, and have an explicit purpose; there should be two to five questions per fifty minute lecture; and there should be no more than four or five possible answers per question.  The authors finish with future directions for research.

Lindquist, D., Denning, T., Kelly, M., Malani, R., Griswold, W.G., & Simon, B. (2007). Exploring the potential of mobile phones for active learning in the classroom. SIGCSE, 384-388.

Using the Ubiquitous Presenter, which is part of University of Washington’s Classroom Presenter, the authors enable students to send text or photo messages (using Short Messaging Service or Multimedia Message System) to answer instructor’s questions during class. The messages were sent to the instructor’s personal email. This study was an effort by the authors to show alternative classroom interactive technology to clickers. Benefits of using cell phones, laptops, or Tablet PCs in the class included the fact that most students already have cell phones, increased capabilities of the technology than clickers, small size (cell phones don't take up much desk space), increased student motivation, and "appreciation of anonymity." Negatives included concern about per message cost, slow entry if typing on a phone keypad, and problem finding symbols if needed for the answer.

Martyn,M. (2007). Clickers in the classroom: An active learningapproach. Educause Quarterly, 2, 71-74.

The benefits of active learning through the use of clickers in the class are explored. Clickers give students the benefit of anonymity when answering in a crowd. Clickers also provide prompt feedback. Today’s students also liked the “game like” feel when using clickers in the classroom. Research conducted in a community college is highlighted.

Suggestions for instructors, student satisfaction, and best practices for usage of clickers are discussed. Although research data does not show improvement in test scores and further research is suggested, this article does demonstrates the need for active participation and offers clickers as an option.

Meedzan, N., & Fisher, K. (2009). Clickers in nursing education: an active learning tool in the classroom. Online Journal of Nursing Informatics, 13(2).

The authors believe that clickers promote classroom interaction to enhance students’ ability to retain knowledge, motivate students to learn, and to develop their critical thinking skills.  The authors implemented a study amongst baccalaureate nursing students’ to determine their satisfaction with the use of clickers as a means of promoting active learning.  The findings demonstrated that students were satisfied, thus the instructor was encouraged to continue to use the clicker technology in the classroom.  The authors encourage educators to adopt nontraditional methods of instruction—such as clickers.   

Smith, D., & Rosenkoetter, M. (2009). Effectiveness, challenges, and perceptions of classroom participation systems. Nurse Educator, 34(4), 156-161.

In a technology-driven world, the authors discuss implementing the use of clicker technology in the classroom as an innovative approach to teaching. The authors describe and summarize the use of one clicker technology system and student outcomes.  Pros and cons are also discussed.  Overall, students had a positive perception of clickers and the authors support the use of clickers for interactive teaching and testing. 

Watkins, E.P. & Sabella, M.S. (2008). Examining the effectiveness of clickers on promoting of learning by tracking the evolution of student responses. Physics Education Research Conference, 223-226.

The authors, faculty of Chicago State University’s physics program, implemented the use of clickers during class to engage the students in question and answer sessions, then retested students with the same or similar questions on an exam. In general, clickers seemed to improve class performance, particularly when asking questions with increasing difficulty (because it boosted user confidence). However, clicker use did not improve test scores when similar questions were asked later on a test -most of the students would get the answer wrong. The authors pointed out this shows that measuring or assessment of learning is a complex multi-faceted process, not just a retrieval of learned material within class.

Kay, R.H., & LeSage, A. (2009). Examining the benefits and challenges of using audience response systems: a review of the literature. Computers & Education, 53, 819-827

The authors, faculty at the University of Ontario Institute of technology, present a brief history and detailed review of the use of audience response systems in the classroom. Benefits and challenges for both students and teachers are discussed. The authors’ overall conclusion is that use of ARS is generally positive but more detailed research is needed in broader contexts. This review includes a larger number of articles than previous reviews. It presents a concise summary which includes data primarily from large undergraduate classrooms in the areas of math and science. The research explains benefits in the classroom environment, learning, and assessment. Challenges include technology-based, teacher-based, and student-based. The paper is a good resource for an overall summary of the use of audience response systems. However, it does not provide a significant amount of detail in applying ARS in the classroom.