1. Active Clickers Active Learning with
Purpose of workshop: share some strategies for using clickers in pedagogically-sound way
SC Kung, educational technologist, T & L with technology workshop
Start with: what they are and what research says
Shiao-Chuan Kung, Ed.D.
Educational Technologist, ICIT
(212)

2. Infrared or radio frequency devices
Combination of hardware (receiver and clicker) & software (similar to PPT+)
AKA…
audience response systems
wireless keypad response systems
classroom communication systems
electronic response systems
classroom response systems

3. Outside class

4. Allow:
Instructor to present question or problem to the class
Students to enter answers (anonymously) with clickers
Instant aggregation & presentation of results

5. What do you know the LEAST about?
Pedagogical problems that clickers can address.
What research says about clickers as educational tools.
Effective strategies/activities using clickers.
Challenges of using clickers.
Clicker question
Purpose: preview lesson, trigger metacognitive processes, focus Ss’ attention on certain ideas or topics

6. Pedagogical problems that clickers can address…
My approach to educational technology is: What difficulty do you have in your teaching? Can technology help you solve this problem?

7. Inability to assess prior knowledge (What do they know?)

8. inability to assess comprehension during class (Are they understanding
inability to assess comprehension during class (Are they understanding? What are they understanding?)

9. inability to get responses to sensitive questions or get answers from shy students

10. lack of active participation in large classes

11. Confucious: If you know, recognize that you know, If you don't know, then realize that you don't know: That is knowledge.
Help Ss gain metacognitive awareness: what do I know? What do I not know? What do I still need to know?

12. Clickers can be used for…
Pre-Assessments
Mid-Topic Assessments
Post-Assessments
“just-in-time” teaching
teachable moments
Pre-Assessments: At the beginning of a semester or before a new topic
What do students already know?
What are students' misconceptions?
Mid-Topic Assessments: In the middle of lectures or before another concept
Do they understand this principle?
Can they connect this principle/idea to the previous one?
Can they apply this concept?
How is their thinking changing?
Post-Assessments: At the end of a semester, topic, or class session
What is their overall conceptual framework?
Can they synthesize the concepts to solve problems?
How has their understanding changed?

13. Research suggests… greater engagement
increased understanding of complex subject matter
increased interest and enjoyment
heightened discussion and interactivity
increased awareness of own understanding
increased teacher insight into student difficulties
Fies & Marshall, 2006

14. Student achievement is due to…
technology
NOT technology
Article in Educause Quarterly 2007—clickers vs discussion, no statistical difference in achievement
Student achievement is due to…

15. Student achievement is due to…
Active learning techniques
NOT technology
Article in Educause Quarterly 2007—clickers vs discussion, no statistical difference in achievement
Student achievement is due to…

16. Challenges
creating good questions

17. Effective questions… Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis
Synthesis
Evaluation
Clicker question
Multiple-choice questions can assess a range of understanding, from basic recall to higher-order thinking. Questions based on Bloom’s taxonomy:
Which are you most interested in?
Knowledge - Remembering facts, terms, concepts, definitions, principles
Comprehension - Explaining/interpreting the meaning of material
Application - Using a concept or principle to solve a problem
Analysis - Breaking material down into its component parts to see interrelationships/hierarchy of ideas
Synthesis - Producing something new or original from component parts
Evaluation - Making a judgment based on a pre-established set of criteria

18. Challenges
more time-consuming—less content can be covered

19. Challenges
good timing and pacing of class

20. Challenges
classroom management—distribution & return of clickers, elevated noise level

21. Participation = Challenges give credit for participation?
clickers for taking attendance?
clickers for quizzes or exams?

22. Challenges
clickers for taking attendance?

23. Challenges
clickers for quizzes or exams?