Using clickers in statistics teaching

Liz AndrewFaculty of Life Sciences

University of Manchester

What are clickers?

What are clickers?

How can they be used?

What are the benefits and drawbacks?

How can they be used effectively?

Using clickers in statistics teaching

Using clickers in statistics classes

1. Yes I have used clickers

2. I have not used clickers but I would like to use them

3. I have not used clickers and I don’t intend to use them

How can clickers be used?How can clickers be used?

1. Show understanding of a topic

a) Before the class

b) During or after the class

2. Have a poll on a topic

3. Generate discussion

4. Consolidate understanding through practice

5. Formative and summative testing

Benefits?What are the benefits and drawbacks of

using clickers in the class?

Benefits

1. Engages the students, fun, easy to use

2. Encourages deeper learning

3. Helps tutors identify misunderstandings and lack of knowledge

Drawbacks?What are the benefits and drawbacks of

using clickers in the class?

Benefits

1. Engages the students, fun, easy to use

2. Encourages deeper learning

3. Helps tutors identify misunderstandings and lack of knowledge

Disadvantages

• Organisation and set-up during teaching time

1. Student engagement depends on effective use of clickers

How can clickers be used?How can clickers be used?

2. Have a poll on a topic

3. Generate discussion

4. Consolidate understanding through practice

5. Formative and summative testing

1. Show understanding of a topic

a) Before the class

b) During or after the class

Coat colour in cats:- genes?- environment?- genes + environment?

Using clickers to test knowledge

Coat colour in cats

1. Genes2. Environment3. Genes + Environment

Coat colour in cats - genes or environment or both?

The Siamese coat pattern is a heat-map of the animal’s body

A mutated gene for an enzyme that controls dark coat colour works most effectively at low body temperatures

The enzyme, a tyrosinase, is responsible for producing the dark pigment, melanin

Coat colour in cats

1. Genes2. Environment3. Genes + Environment

How can clickers be used?How can clickers be used?

1. Show understanding of a topic

a) Before the class

b) During or after the class

2. Have a poll on a topic

3. Generate discussion

4. Consolidate understanding through practice

5. Formative and summative testing

Generating discussionGenerating a discussion - Smoking and health 3

In the USA:

• 444 000 people die each year due to smoking related illnesses.

• Smoking causes 1 in 5 deaths in America annually.

• Smokers in the USA:

• 26.2 million men (21.5% of adult males)

• 20.9 million women (17.3% of adult females)

Smoking and health 3

A life-long cigarette smoker increases his/her risk of dying at age 55 by 2.5 times compared with a non-smoker and is twice as likely as a non-smoker to die at age 75.

Possible explanations:

Compared with smokers dying aged 55, the smokers who die at age 75 are:

1. Less susceptible to smoking-related diseases

2. More likely to die of something else

3. Both of the above

Smoking and health The smokers at age 75 are:4

1. Less susceptible to smoking related disease

2. More likely to die of something else

3. Both of the above

Smoking and health 3

A life-long cigarette smoker increases his/her risk of dying at age 55 by 2.5 times compared with a non-smoker and is twice as likely as a non-smoker to die at age 75.

Possible explanations:

Compared with smokers dying aged 55, the smokers who die at age 75 are:

1. Less susceptible to smoking-related diseases

2. More likely to die of something else

3. Both of the above

How can clickers be used?How can clickers be used?

1. Show understanding of a topic

a) Before the class

b) During or after the class

2. Have a poll on a topic

3. Generate discussion

4. Consolidate understanding through practice

5. Formative and summative testing

Consolidate understanding through practice

Subject: • Types of clinical study

Consolidating understanding:• Identify types of study from

papers published in clinical journals

Example:• A study to to examine the

evidence as to whether or not taking vitamin or mineral supplements prevents the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Evidence-based practice for optometrists

A study to to examine the evidence as to whether or not taking vitamin or mineral supplements prevents the development of AMD.

1. Case study2. Cross-sectional survey3. Case-control study4. Cohort study5. Randomised

controlled trial6. Systematic review

How can clickers be used effectively to promote deep learning?

1. Get students on your side and put them in charge of their learning

2. Design questions that reinforce and progress the understanding

3. Allow students time to discuss with each other

4. Don’t just give the correct answer!!

Apps - the new way forward?

Eclickers and Nearpod: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch

• Questions get delivered directly to the audiences' devices

• Create quizzes that deliver questions one-at-a-time

• Share question playlists with other eClicker Presenter users via email

• Get instant reports on each session, and export the results for tracking over time

• iCloud syncs data across multiple devices

Youtube how to use clickers effectively

Clickers in the Science Classroom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0q5gQfQmng