Classroom Response Systems

Rachael Fulmer

What are Classroom Response Systems?

In d'Inverno, Davis and White's study (as cited in Caldwell), Classroom Response Systems are commonly referred to as “...clickers or keypads” within classrooms.

They “...are small transmitters about the size of a television remote control” (Caldwell, 2007, 9).

What are Classroom Response Systems? (cont’d)

Each student will have a “clicker” available for usage.

The “clicker” sends a a signal via “infrared or radio frequency...to a small, portable receiving station” which is located in the front of the classroom (Educause Learning Initiative, 2005).

The teacher or instructor is able to “see” how each student responded to questions posed throughout a lesson.

What is the Purpose of Classroom Response

Systems? Students are able participate within a lesson by answering questions posed by the teacher or instructor.

“Clickers” can be used in the classroom for the following reasons:

“Assessing students' prior knowledge and identifying misconceptions before introducing a new subject”.

What is the Purpose of Classroom Response Systems?

(cont’d) “Checking students’

understanding of new material”.

“Using peer instruction and other active learning strategies”.

“Starting class discussions on difficult topics”.

Administration of exams “Gathering feedback on

teaching” “Recording class attendance

and participation” (Zhu, 2007, 2-3).

What are Students' Views about Using Classroom

Response Systems?The following views were cited in Zhu's

study regarding clickers: Students “...enjoy using clickers in

class because it makes lectures more fun and interesting” (Beekes, 2006; Conoley, Moore, Croom, and Flowers, 2006; Duncan, 2006; Stuart, Brown, and Draper, 2004).

Students also stated that they were able to “...better understand the instructor's expectations” (Tomorrow's professor, 2006).

What are Students' Views about Using Classroom Response

Systems? (cont’d) Students were open “...to

checking their prior knowledge or understanding of the content during lecture” (Abrahamson, 1999; Cue, 1998; Dufresne, Gerace, Leonard, Mestre and Wenk, 1996; Shapiro, 1997).

Students are “...more likely to respond and participate in the class discussion when clickers are used” (Greer and Heaney, 2004; Hoffman and Goodwin, 2006).

What are the Benefits of Using Classroom Response Systems?

In a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin on clickers, several benefits were found when implementing and using the classroom response system. These benefits were: Student Engagement: Students

and faculty agreed that the use of clickers within a lecture increased “...student engagement,...participation,... and interaction” (Kaleta and Joosten, 2007, 5).

What are the Benefits of Using Classroom Response Systems?

(cont’d) Active Learning: Faculty felt

that the use of clickers improved the learning of students. Faculty was able to reteach, review, check for understanding, etc., by using the clickers.

Educational Pedagogy: Faculty members felt that the use of clickers allowed them to “...introduce active learning strategies into the classroom” (Kaleta and Joosten, 2007, 8).

What are the Challenges of Using Classroom Response

Systems?Within the same study conducted by the University of Wisconsin

on clickers, several challenges were found when implementing and using the classroom response system. These challenges were:

Adapting: Students and faculty members found it challenging to begin implementing and using clickers within the classroom.

Integration and Time: Many faculty members found that the amount of time needed to implement the response system was considerable. “Clicker activities consumed a considerable amount of class time” (Kaleta and Joosten, 2007, 8).

What are the Challenges of Using Classroom Response

Systems? (cont’d) Depth of Material: Faculty

members realized that the questions posed through the system opened up in depth discussion about the material or concept. These in depth conversations did not permit faculty members to cover other topics or concepts within their curriculum.

What are the Challenges of Using Classroom Response

Systems? (cont’d) Technology Support:

“Faculty members sometimes felt overwhelmed supporting students' clicker problems, such as lost, broken, defective, or incorrectly registered clickers” (Kaleta and Joosten, 2007, 9). Students would turn to the faculty members regarding these concerns.

Writing Effective Questions

How Do I Write Effective Questions?

Writing effective questions is necessary in order to properly implement a Classroom Response System. The following tips may aid with writing multiple choice questions:

Incorporate distracters (or wrong answers) that seem reasonable to students.

Provide answers that are not easily disregarded by students.

How Do I Write Effective Questions? (cont’d)

Reduce amount of answers to no more than five.

Include an “I don't know”, “none of the above”, “all of the above”, or answers with more than one possibility (both A and C).

Works CitedCaldwell, J. E. (2007). Clickers in the large classroom: Current

research and best-practice tips. CBE-Life Sciences Education. 6, 9-20.

Educause Learning Initiative. (2005). 7 things you should know about...clickers. Retrieved on May 21, 2008, from http://www.educause.edu/eli/.

Kaleta, R. and Joosten, T. (2007). Educause Center for Applied Research. (2007). Student response systems: A university of wisconsin system study of clickers. 2007(10), 1-11.

Zhu, E. (2007). Center for Research on Learning and Teaching: The University of Michigan. Teaching with clickers. 22, 1-8.

Works Cited (cont’d) Images

Title page: VoTech. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.votechltd.co.uk/image/g2-set.jpg

Page 2: H-ITT Classroom Response Systems. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.h-itt.com/images/pose6e.jpg

Page 3: The University of Kansas School of Education . Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://soe.ku.edu/images/promo/public/thumbs/730.jpg

Page 4: Ohio University Response System. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.citl.ohiou.edu/graphics/clickers1.jpg.

Page 6: Edmonds School District. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.edmonds.wednet.edu/capitallevy/technology/STT/images/responsekit.JPG.

Works Cited (cont’d) Images (cont’d):

Page 7: Center for Instructional Technology & Training. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.citt.ufl.edu/toolbox/_images/clickers.jpg

Page 8: The clicker guys: E-learning tools and resources. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.theclickerguys.com/graphics/girl_with_clicker.jpg

Page 12: eInstruction's Classroom Performance System (CPS). Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://tecknowledge-eforlearning.com/Quickstart/ImageLib/HE_students_IR.JPG

Page 14: Mom’s Prosperity Network. Retrieved on May 30, 2008 from http://www.momsprosperitynetwork.com/wp-content/writing-by-lavinia-marin-compressed.jpg