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Best Practices in Clicker Use

The Gentle Art of Questioning

Dr. Stephanie V. Chasteen Science Education InitiativeUniv. of Colorado at Boulder

http://colorado.edu/sei&

Dustin Jenseni>clicker

Email: stephanie.chasteen@colorado.edu

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Have you used response systems (clickers) in your teaching?

A. Not at all, and I haven’t seen them used

B. Not at all, but I’ve observed their use somewhat

C. I’ve used them a littleD. I’ve used them someE. I could be (should be?) giving this

workshop

Take a clicker & turn Take a clicker & turn it onit on

If the green light If the green light flashes, your flashes, your vote has been countedvote has been counted

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Why question?

whiteboardCredit: Rosie Piller

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But not a magic bullet!

Clickers are a tool for questioning

Don’t confuse the pedagogy with the technology!The perfect question doesn’t solve all problems!

Remember:

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Collect Demographic Data

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Why Clickers?

Oh, it

’s jus

t

more

techno

logy?

Anothe

r

expens

e for

my

studen

ts…

Doesn’

t fit

my tea

ching

style…

I’ll l

ose

studen

t

intera

ction…

I have

too

much m

ateria

l

to cov

er…

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Are students paying attention to your lecture?

What is the typical attention span of a student while listening to a lecture?

A CB D

30 minutes

15 minutes

45 minutes

60 minutes

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Are you surprised?

Various studies show that after 10-20 minutes, students’ minds begin to wander and retention of information falls off dramatically.

Taking notes and asking questions occupies only 49% of the students’ time during lecture;the remainder is spent thinking about people, time, body, and fantasy.

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The need for clickers…

Reset the students clocks

Receive immediate feedback

Promotes participation and active learning

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Benefits of Clickers

Get students participating

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Identify student knowledge

2 way communication tool

Peer instruction

Clicker points

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Use clickers to emphasize important points

Students may not pay attention to what you feel is important; they pay attention to what they think is

important.

VS.

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Should I give students clicker points?

The learning process is enhanced when students are not overly anxious to participate, so low-stakes grading is advised. 

The learning process is enhanced when students are not overly anxious to participate, so low-stakes grading is advised. 

Don’t make your class a stressful environment!

Example: .7 for

participating .3 for

correct answer

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Why use clickers to ask questions?

Similar goals to non-clicker questions

Anonymous (to peers)Every student has a voice – the loud ones and the shy ones

Forced wait timeYou can withhold the answer until everyone has had time to think (choose when to show the histogram)

What does this tool help us to do?

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Best Practices

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What do students like least about clickers?

A. High stake questions B. Only used on occasionC. Used for attendance onlyD. Seeing the same question types over and

overE. All of the above

A. Used for attendance only

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If you must take attendance…

Take attendance without your students knowing...

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What do students like most about using clickers?

A. Provides anonymityB. Promotes participation and active learning

C. A way to earn extra pointsD. Everyone has a voice (at least a clicker voice)

E. All of the aboveB. Promotes participation and active learning

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University of New Mexico

Research shows that fewer than half of 18-25

year olds learn effectively by

passively listening to a

lecture. 

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How do students learn?

Most people learn by -

actively engaging critical concepts, applying those concepts, and confronting their misconceptions about the subject matter. 

These actions are effectively done in lecture settings by breaking up lecture time with

“clicker questions.” 

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Peer Instruction

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Why use clickers to target the class?

An outline of Peer Instruction.

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A quick outline of peer instruction

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Ask Question

Peer Discussion

Vote

Class Discussion

…Lecture… (Maybe vote)

* See also: Peer Instruction, A User’s Manual. E. Mazur.

Anatomy of Peer Instruction

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Given that a large tree grows from a tiny seed, where does most of the mass of

the solid tissues in the tree come

from?

A. WaterB. Dirt and

Soil C. AirD. It’s already in

the seed

Peer Instruction

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Peer Instruction Helps Students Learn

Research shows that:Students like peer instructionStudents can better answer a similar question after

talking to their peersPeer discussion + instructor explanation works better

than either one alonePeer instruction outperforms traditional lectures on a

common test

See http://STEMclickers.colorado.edu for various references

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Ask Question

Peer Discussion

Vote

Class Discussion

…Lecture… (Maybe vote)

* See also: Peer Instruction, A User’s Manual. E. Mazur.

Burning questions?

A. Writing good questionsB. Getting students to really think about the questionsC. The same students always respond in whole class

discussionD. It takes too long / I have a lot of content to coverE. Something else

I think the toughest thing about using clickers and peer instruction

in class is / will be:

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Ask Question

Peer Discussion

Vote

Class Discussion

…Lecture… (Maybe vote)

* See also: Peer Instruction, A User’s Manual. E. Mazur.

Focusing in on question-writing

Some possible question goals

Credit: Rosie Piller and Ian Beatty.

BEFORESetting up instruction

BEFORESetting up instruction

E.g.:MotivateAssess prior knowledge… (handout!)

DURINGDeveloping knowledge

ApplicationElicit misconception…

AFTER Assessing learning

Relate to big pictureDemonstrate success…

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Example question: Physics

Which superpower would you rather have? The ability to…

A.Change the mass of thingsB.Change the charge of thingsC.Change the magnetization of thingsD.Change the boiling point of things

Question: Ian Beatty, UNC Greensboro Image: Thibault fr on Wikimedia

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What is the goal of this question? When might you use it?

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The Technology Enhanced Learning and Research center at Ohio State

Example question: Literature

If Homer wrote the Iliad today, Stanley Fish and Harold Bloom would argue, respectively, whether the work should be categorized as:

A.Existential vs. RomanticB.Postmodern vs ClassicalC.Modern vs RomanticD.Postcolonial vs ModernE.Preliterate vs Postliterate

Origin unknown

What is the goal of this question? When might you use it?

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Example question: Ethics

If you were a judge, how would you assess the “responsibility” of the U.S. Government, for what happened in the world between 1933 and 1945?

A.Not responsibleB.Minimally responsibleC.ResponsibleD.Very responsible

Origin unknown

What is the goal of this question? What is the level of this question?

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Use questions at a variety of cognitive depthDo the questions you use

intellectually challenge your students or simply assess their

factual knowledge?

Higher order

----------------

Lower orderhandout

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Example question: English

The child apprized her father's authority and behaved herself in church. Apprized means

A.Appreciated B.Compromised C.Defied D.Noted

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Example question: Math

Your sister in law calls to say that she’s having twins. Which of the following is the most likely? (Assume she’s having fraternal, not identical, twins)

A.Twin boysB.Twin girlsC.One girl and one boyD.All are equally likely

Derek Bruff, Vanderbilt

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Question-writing tips

Use questions with a variety of pedagogical goalsUse questions at a mixture of cognitive depthMove away from simple quizzes: use questions that prompt discussion

Use questions that emphasize reasoning or processAsk challenging questions – don’t just test memorized facts

Focus on key learning goals – what do you want them to know?

Use clear wordingUse tempting distracters

See handout

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Effective multiple-choice questions have believable “distracters.”

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1. Talking with other instructors that have taught the course in the past.

2. Talking with your students one-on-one before class, after class, during office hours.

3. Using student responses to open-ended questions that you include in HW and exams.

4. Asking your students to come up with answers that will be used as the choices.

5. Use researched and documented student misconceptions.

D. Duncan, Univ. of Colorado

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An example question

A. The change in the earth’s distance from the sun during the year

B. The tilt of the earths axisC. Changes in the sun’s brightnessD. Changes in cloudsE. None of the above

Bad question. Students can answer by

memorizing a word (“tilt”)

Can we make a better question on the SAME topic? Yes…

What causes the seasons?

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What would happen to the seasons if the earth’s orbit around the sun was made a perfect circle (but nothing

else changed) ?

A. There would be no seasonsB. The seasons would remain pretty much

as they are todayC. Winter to spring would differ much

less than nowD. Winter to spring would differ much

more than nowMuch better question. Requires reasoning!

Better seasons example

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Exercise: Try writing a question

1. Individually, choose one of the question goals (see handout)

2. Write a draft question that aims to achieve this goal. See the detailed “Bloom’s Taxonomy” handout for helpful verbs.

5 min5 min

1. Use the Bloom’s Taxonomy worksheet to rate the Bloom’s level of your question

2. Swap your question with a neighbor. Do you agree on the Bloom’s level of your question? Can you suggest improvements?

Then…

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What was the Bloom’s level of your question?

A. RememberingB. UnderstandingC. ApplyingD. AnalyzingE. Evaluating

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Share out

What did you learn in this process?What worked well, what was challenging?How might you go about writing questions in your class?

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Gallery Walk

Look at the “example questions” sets on the wall.

What do these three questions have in common? Jot any ideas down on the sheet.

Might you use this type of question? When? For what purpose?

10 minutes10 minutes

Aihofanz2010 on Wikimedia

Some question strategies to consider

Use a series of questions Rather than a set of one-offs.

Use real-life scenarios and current events for surveysTo keep lessons fresh and relevant

Ask predictive questionsSo students have a chance to weigh in first. More important for understanding than recall questions, but used less often

Use images in question choicesTo give students a chance to connect words and visual/graphic

Pose summarizing questionsTo get students thinking about effects. Pose a series of outcomes and vote on consequences

Sidney-Eve Matrix on the ActiveClass

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But…

The perfect question doesn’t solve all problems!

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Some “best practices” and solutions

Underlying philosophy to most of these “best practices” are:

“It is important for students to discuss their ideas, to feel safe doing so, and for the teacher to be aware of those ideas”

We’ll do these quicklyThese are repeated in handouts

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1. Ask Question

What are some challenges/ things to consider when posing a clicker question?

Handout/worksheet / whiteboard

•Ask several times during lecture•Ask challenging, meaningful questions•Give time to read (read silently to self)

•Ask several times during lecture•Ask challenging, meaningful questions•Give time to read (read silently to self)

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2. Peer Discussion

Why is peer discussion important?

• Students learn more deeply by teaching each other• Makes them articulate answer• Lets you see inside their heads

• Students learn more deeply by teaching each other• Makes them articulate answer• Lets you see inside their heads

•Make it clear why you’re doing this• Circulate and ask questions / model•Use questions they want to discuss•Allow enough time (2-5 mins)•Focus on reasoning in wrap-up

•Make it clear why you’re doing this• Circulate and ask questions / model•Use questions they want to discuss•Allow enough time (2-5 mins)•Focus on reasoning in wrap-up

What are challenges / how can you help make it work?

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3. Wrap-Up Discussion

Challenges?What might you do to facilitate an effective wrap-up discussion?

•Establish culture of respect•Consider whether to show the histogram immediately• Ask multiple students to defend their answers• Why are wrong answers wrong and why right answer is right

•Establish culture of respect•Consider whether to show the histogram immediately• Ask multiple students to defend their answers• Why are wrong answers wrong and why right answer is right

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Student buy-in is key!

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Giving the answer stops student thinking!

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Action Plan

Take a few minutes to write down your action plan to implement ideas you heard about in the workshop

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Thank you!

http://STEMclickers.colorado.eduClicker resource page

Email me at stephanie.chasteen@colorado.edu

• Instructor’s Guide• Question banks• Workshops• Literature / Articles•Videos

Many materials in this workshop (particularly the questioning cycle and the participant exercises) were adapted from Rosie Piller, Making Students Think: The Art of Questioning. Short papers published in: Computer Training & Support Conference, 1995; ISPI International Conferences, 1991 and 1996; ASTD National Conference on Technical & Skills Training, 1990. Related workshop description at http://www.educationexperts.net/nstworkshop.html Other materials (particularly sample clicker questions and goals of clicker questions) adapted from Ian Beatty’s Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment (TEFA) program. http://ianbeatty.com/crs

Many materials in this workshop (particularly the questioning cycle and the participant exercises) were adapted from Rosie Piller, Making Students Think: The Art of Questioning. Short papers published in: Computer Training & Support Conference, 1995; ISPI International Conferences, 1991 and 1996; ASTD National Conference on Technical & Skills Training, 1990. Related workshop description at http://www.educationexperts.net/nstworkshop.html Other materials (particularly sample clicker questions and goals of clicker questions) adapted from Ian Beatty’s Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment (TEFA) program. http://ianbeatty.com/crs

Handouts will be at http://blog.sciencegeekgirl.com

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Learning Goals

Biology: Recognize the components of a cell and describe why each is necessary for the function of a cell

Physics: Identify the different ways that light can interact with an object (i.e., transmitted, absorbed, reflected).

Chemistry: Explain trends in boiling points in terms of intermolecular interactions

Earth science: Understand the formation of the three major types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) and the processes by which they form, relating them by the rock cycle.

Math: Solve a system of linear equations in two variables using algebra or graphing.

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What Do I do if…?

What can you do if you ask questions and..There is no responseThe same people keep raising their hands

The answers are called out before everyone has a chance to think

The answers take too longSomeone gives a wrong answerOnly some students are prepared?

We’ll discuss in Workshop #2.

For now: Many of these challenges are addressed by clickers

We’ll discuss in Workshop #2.

For now: Many of these challenges are addressed by clickers

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Other question types and methodologies

• Use a combination of simple and more complex questions.

• The best questions focus on concepts that involve challenging ideas that generate discussion.

- Dr. Douglas Duncan University of Colorado

• Use a combination of simple and more complex questions.

• The best questions focus on concepts that involve challenging ideas that generate discussion.

- Dr. Douglas Duncan University of Colorado

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Discover misconceptions

Dr. Stephen Ball- University of Missouri - Columbia

Dr. Stephen Ball- University of Missouri - Columbia

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Women Only

Which body type to you think men are most attracted to?

A B C D E F

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Men Only

Which body type are you most attracted to?

A B C D E F

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Men Only

Which body type to you think women are most attracted to?

A B C D E F

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Women Only

Which body type are you most attracted to?

A B C D E F

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Debates and Discussion

In today’s world a ‘culture of death’ is  gaining supremacy over a ‘culture of life.’

Utilize your demographic data

Call o

f

Duty

Aborti

on

SAW

1000 w

ays

to die

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Use clickers to build critical thinking skills

Gamze Yasar - EconomicsColorado State University

- 4 questions per lecture

- 2 questions are critical thinking questions - not graded- 2 questions based on lecture - graded

Keep students involved all semester long - not just the first two weeks.

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Should I give participation points only?

Dana Narter - Psychology- University of Arizona

- Students may not make an effort to answer correctly if they are awarded points for participation only.

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I want the truth, and nothing but the truth!!

Law - Criminal Justice - Med - Nursing - Sociology

Ask moral, legal, or ethical questions

Use anonymous polling