Continuing our series on student engagement from the 2014 CSUSM Summer Teaching Institute, we will be focusing on student response systems. While there are many options out there for teachers to consider, they are all aimed at enhancing the student experience from a passive one to a more active engaged experience. In today's post, Dr. Marisol Clark-Ibanez shares her experiences... Clickers for engagement by Alan Wolf is licensed under CC BY 2.0 |
Summer Institute on Teaching Innovations
Report
Marisol Clark-Ibáñez
“Clickers”
“The clickers were very fun way to interact with the whole class because everyone answered a question. It was also very helpful because we all got to see where we were struggling and if we did not understand a question. I know that for me, I am a shy person. Most of the time if we didn't have clickers I would not interact with the class but the clickers made it really easy for my to say what I thought. I recommend you using the clickers because it’s a great was to interact with a huge class like this one.”
-- Soc 101 student
Overview
I attended the summer institute to reinvigorate my teaching in general but also to learn more about clickers for my large auditoria class in the fall. My course had 260 students enrolled. This report describes how I used clickers, preliminary discussion of data collected from students, and suggestions for improvements. (This report will also form the basis of my presentation for the teaching symposium.)
How I Used Clickers
• A form of attendance. Each clicker use was worth one point and we used them nearly every class session. Sometimes, to reward the students who stayed until the end of the 2-hour class session, I would have them reset their clickers and “check in” with them to generate an extra point. In the end, clickers were worth 28 points which was about 15 percent of the their final grade. I never linked points to the “right answer” – I wanted students to be engaged and be a part of the process while learning.
• A “pre test” for their knowledge at the beginning of class. Students were asked to answer a few prompts at the beginning of class so that I could assess their understanding of material they were supposed to have read before coming to class. I could use their responses to revise our material to bolster student learning. I used the same prompts at the end of class and could compare both results side-by-side with the class. That way, my concluding remarks could highlight or stress certain ideas, definitions, or distinctions.
• Generate discussion about the material. After students answered the prompt(s), I would have them tell their neighbor what they chose and why. I would give them a chance to change their answers before moving on to the next prompt.
• Critically think about social issues. Sociology is a great discipline to help students reveal their “common sense” ideas about our social world. I would use prompts capture their opinion and then juxtapose it with sociological findings.
• Create drama and excitement. There is a great visual component that students seem to enjoy. Some techniques that electrified our classroom: counting down response time, revealing the responses on the screen, adding new material to a prompt that could possibly lead students to change their responses, and pausing to use the clicker for an impromptu prompt in the midst of lecture, activity or discussion.
Data and Discussion (preliminary)
At the end of the semester, I offered a 2 point extra credit questionnaire that asked about the most memorable part of the class, what they recommend I revise for next fall, and how effective the clickers were for their learning. It was not anonymous. 208 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of those who responded with positive comments.
Here are some themes that emerged:
Clickers helps students participate
“Clickers were a great way to be more interactive in class and help us with our learning and guide you as to where we are.”
“I hope that other classes start to use it because not everyone has the courage to raise their hand and give an answer.”
“The clickers were an amazing idea, I think by using the clickers you not only save trees, but I also liked them because personally I would be shy to talk in such a big crowd, the clicker helped me participate in class even though I didn't talk at all in class.”
“It made the class more interactive and gave me a reason to go to class.”
Clickers helped students learn the material…
“Probably the best way to get involved in a 200+ class! I totally recommend to use it next year because it gives you the opportunity to really try to get answers right, which enhances learning!”
“I enjoyed using the clicker because it was a way to get involved and the questions were very helpful. I think that it helped me learn directly because the questions kind of summed up what we were learning. Clickers are great.”
“It did help our lectures be more engaging. It did enhance my learning directly because when we I would answer a question a specific way I was able to hear why people might have chosen another answer.”
“I liked using the clickers because I was able to see how the entire class thought and how similar or different our responses were. I think it did help our class be a bit more interactive since there were so many of us.”
“The clickers helped a lot because it was a way to feel more confident about myself knowing after seeing the results from each clicker activity that there were students on the same boat as I was when it came to understanding the lectures.”
Clickers helped professor teach better…
“They gave you more information on us and I think that helped the class.”
“It gives the teachers instant feedback on what some students are having trouble in.”
“i think it helped our lectures be more interactive and helped us understand what we were going over that day. I especially liked that you went over the right answer ensuring that we knew it before we left class! unlike other professors, they me take a mini quiz, but never return or go over it.”
“It helped that you asked questions on what we needed more help on, what we think the correct answer is because then it helped you, as the professor, elaborate on what the majority of the class needed help on.”
If lecturing, clickers helped enhance lectures…
“I feel it did help the lectures and made it more interactive versus just sitting their taking notes for the full time period. It was also nice how we could see the results displayed on the screen. I do think it enhanced my learning especially for being a big lecture hall, it forced me to be paying attention and actually understand the information being taught because the clicker tested our knowledge.”
“Clickers made class more of a hands-on environment.”
Negative Thoughts on the Clickers
Waste of time, only for attendance, too much money, not fair if forgot clicker, use them much more, use them much less
Suggestions for Improvements
• Download clicker points early and often.
• Give students the smart phone option to have an app instead of the clicker itself.
• Contact the iClicker representatives and work with them directly in addition to the instructional developer
• Never use it for tests or heavily weighted assignments.
• Create “user group” forum or listserve of iClicker faculty on campus.
• Find a low cost (or better deal) for students and/or create a network where they can trade them on campus
My Additional Advice for Educators using iClicker
- Email students BEFORE class begins about where and how to purchase the clickers; do this weeks before class begins and up to the day before the class!
- Use them right away in class but do not use them for points right away
- Start off with a fun activity
- Have an instructional developer come and talk with the class about the clicker and have that staff person use them in class
- Do not rely on your own thumb drive for holding the data
- Use the box or H drive to generate the clicker application
- Have a policy on how you will deal with cases when students forget clickers; what not to do: have students turn in responses on paper
Report
Marisol Clark-Ibáñez
“Clickers”
“The clickers were very fun way to interact with the whole class because everyone answered a question. It was also very helpful because we all got to see where we were struggling and if we did not understand a question. I know that for me, I am a shy person. Most of the time if we didn't have clickers I would not interact with the class but the clickers made it really easy for my to say what I thought. I recommend you using the clickers because it’s a great was to interact with a huge class like this one.”
-- Soc 101 student
Overview
I attended the summer institute to reinvigorate my teaching in general but also to learn more about clickers for my large auditoria class in the fall. My course had 260 students enrolled. This report describes how I used clickers, preliminary discussion of data collected from students, and suggestions for improvements. (This report will also form the basis of my presentation for the teaching symposium.)
How I Used Clickers
• A form of attendance. Each clicker use was worth one point and we used them nearly every class session. Sometimes, to reward the students who stayed until the end of the 2-hour class session, I would have them reset their clickers and “check in” with them to generate an extra point. In the end, clickers were worth 28 points which was about 15 percent of the their final grade. I never linked points to the “right answer” – I wanted students to be engaged and be a part of the process while learning.
• A “pre test” for their knowledge at the beginning of class. Students were asked to answer a few prompts at the beginning of class so that I could assess their understanding of material they were supposed to have read before coming to class. I could use their responses to revise our material to bolster student learning. I used the same prompts at the end of class and could compare both results side-by-side with the class. That way, my concluding remarks could highlight or stress certain ideas, definitions, or distinctions.
• Generate discussion about the material. After students answered the prompt(s), I would have them tell their neighbor what they chose and why. I would give them a chance to change their answers before moving on to the next prompt.
• Critically think about social issues. Sociology is a great discipline to help students reveal their “common sense” ideas about our social world. I would use prompts capture their opinion and then juxtapose it with sociological findings.
• Create drama and excitement. There is a great visual component that students seem to enjoy. Some techniques that electrified our classroom: counting down response time, revealing the responses on the screen, adding new material to a prompt that could possibly lead students to change their responses, and pausing to use the clicker for an impromptu prompt in the midst of lecture, activity or discussion.
Data and Discussion (preliminary)
At the end of the semester, I offered a 2 point extra credit questionnaire that asked about the most memorable part of the class, what they recommend I revise for next fall, and how effective the clickers were for their learning. It was not anonymous. 208 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of those who responded with positive comments.
Here are some themes that emerged:
Clickers helps students participate
“Clickers were a great way to be more interactive in class and help us with our learning and guide you as to where we are.”
“I hope that other classes start to use it because not everyone has the courage to raise their hand and give an answer.”
“The clickers were an amazing idea, I think by using the clickers you not only save trees, but I also liked them because personally I would be shy to talk in such a big crowd, the clicker helped me participate in class even though I didn't talk at all in class.”
“It made the class more interactive and gave me a reason to go to class.”
Clickers helped students learn the material…
“Probably the best way to get involved in a 200+ class! I totally recommend to use it next year because it gives you the opportunity to really try to get answers right, which enhances learning!”
“I enjoyed using the clicker because it was a way to get involved and the questions were very helpful. I think that it helped me learn directly because the questions kind of summed up what we were learning. Clickers are great.”
“It did help our lectures be more engaging. It did enhance my learning directly because when we I would answer a question a specific way I was able to hear why people might have chosen another answer.”
“I liked using the clickers because I was able to see how the entire class thought and how similar or different our responses were. I think it did help our class be a bit more interactive since there were so many of us.”
“The clickers helped a lot because it was a way to feel more confident about myself knowing after seeing the results from each clicker activity that there were students on the same boat as I was when it came to understanding the lectures.”
Clickers helped professor teach better…
“They gave you more information on us and I think that helped the class.”
“It gives the teachers instant feedback on what some students are having trouble in.”
“i think it helped our lectures be more interactive and helped us understand what we were going over that day. I especially liked that you went over the right answer ensuring that we knew it before we left class! unlike other professors, they me take a mini quiz, but never return or go over it.”
“It helped that you asked questions on what we needed more help on, what we think the correct answer is because then it helped you, as the professor, elaborate on what the majority of the class needed help on.”
If lecturing, clickers helped enhance lectures…
“I feel it did help the lectures and made it more interactive versus just sitting their taking notes for the full time period. It was also nice how we could see the results displayed on the screen. I do think it enhanced my learning especially for being a big lecture hall, it forced me to be paying attention and actually understand the information being taught because the clicker tested our knowledge.”
“Clickers made class more of a hands-on environment.”
Negative Thoughts on the Clickers
Waste of time, only for attendance, too much money, not fair if forgot clicker, use them much more, use them much less
Suggestions for Improvements
• Download clicker points early and often.
• Give students the smart phone option to have an app instead of the clicker itself.
• Contact the iClicker representatives and work with them directly in addition to the instructional developer
• Never use it for tests or heavily weighted assignments.
• Create “user group” forum or listserve of iClicker faculty on campus.
• Find a low cost (or better deal) for students and/or create a network where they can trade them on campus
My Additional Advice for Educators using iClicker
- Email students BEFORE class begins about where and how to purchase the clickers; do this weeks before class begins and up to the day before the class!
- Use them right away in class but do not use them for points right away
- Start off with a fun activity
- Have an instructional developer come and talk with the class about the clicker and have that staff person use them in class
- Do not rely on your own thumb drive for holding the data
- Use the box or H drive to generate the clicker application
- Have a policy on how you will deal with cases when students forget clickers; what not to do: have students turn in responses on paper