Teaching in the “Clicker” Classroom

Research reflects that teachers often overestimate how much students learn, but classroom response systems (or “clickers”) allow a teacher to access the thinking of all students in attendance immediately and without embarrassment to the students. Clicker technology is transforming classrooms and becoming increasingly popular as a pedagogical tool. But there are many issues to consider before deciding on the best use of this technology for your classroom.

Why use a Classroom Response System?

• Retain student attention/involvement longer
• Involve more than the typical 10-20%
• Increase critical thinking
• Identify misconceptions/misunderstandings
• Improve attendance typically
• Create a “small class feel” in large classes
• Use technology pedagogy that students typically relate to
• Allow students to experience immediate feedback on their thinking
• Create a “safe” way for all students to participate
• Add some drama as students wait for immediate response charts

What are your class goals, and how can clickers help achieve them?

• Be cognizant of why you are using this pedagogy and how it impacts learning
• Explain to students how clicker use helps them be engaged in learning
• Ask questions that support your class goals
• Spend time on priority topics, then include thorough discussion also
• Use a variety of types of questions: factual, conceptual, thought-provoking
• Use questions that have some degree of difficulty and require thought
• Don’t necessarily supply all answers by the end of class
• Develop flexible lesson plans for immediate response to class needs
• Have a technology back-up plan

Should clicker responses be graded? How are grades earned?

• Award points for clicker use as a motivator to participate
• Consider including partial credit for incorrect responses
• Create grading flexibility for technology failure (non-working clickers)

What types of problems might you expect, and what can you do about them?

• Students don’t necessarily expect to “work” in class: explain how clickers support learning goals, early and often
• Poorly implemented clicker system discourages students: practice with the technology before classes begin, be familiar with accessing technical support quickly, put careful thought into “why THAT question?”
• Clickers provide new ways to cheat: register all students’ clicker numbers, set up system so it reflects what clickers have been used for each question, monitor closely as clickers used

How do I prepare to use clickers in my classroom?

• Make sure the classroom is set up appropriately
• Test the clickers in that classroom, software and registration system
• Plan how you will grade responses and capture responses for grades
• Prepare clicker questions ahead of time with reasonable class time involved
• Discuss the how and why of clickers the first day of class with students
• Have a back-up plan in case of technology break-down

What “clicker best practices” are proving to be most helpful for student learning?

    (with thanks to “Clickers in the Classroom” by Douglas Duncan for info in this section)

• Enhance interactive teaching (rather than merely attendance or graded “pop” quizzes)
• Keep the points for in-class clicker quizzes at a low percentage of grade
• Rather than requiring a calculation, focus on critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and active learning uses
• Keep the level of difficulty at an intermediate level—not trivial but not so difficult students tend to pick answers randomly
• Use the Clicker system regularly, at least once a class period or once a week
• Make time for peer discussion of responses—learning is not effective without it
• Test students on their conceptual understanding not just problem-solving so they see the benefit to the classroom discussion time