Clickers in the Classroom John Bansavich June 7th, 2012
What are Clickers A personal response system designed to increase student interaction Making inroads in colleges and universities since 1998 A tool to keep students motivated and engaged in what’s going on in class
Potential Uses of Clickers in the Classroom Ask questions in class Give on-the-spot-quizzes Review class material Take attendance Maintain a gradebook Use in large lecture halls
Pedagogical Applications Engage students Promote collaboration, peer instruction Provide instant feedback Increase communication Collect data, attendance and quizzes
i>Clicker Background i>clicker began when a team of University of Illinois physicists, inspired by a major curriculum reform based on physics education research, began experimenting with many solutions that facilitated student polling—from flash cards to their very own hand-crafted clickers.
I>Clicker at USF The i>clicker system consists of i>clicker software, radio frequency (RF) receiver base (USB), RF i>clicker remote. RF receiver will handle up to 1500 responses collected in seconds, feet transmission distance, battery life of 200 hours with normal usage. The remote will automatically turn-off after 90 minutes of inactivity.
Cost of I>clicker (Standardization Pricing) $44.00 with no registration fees. $33.00 used; $21.00 one-semester rental Order your clickers from the USF Bookstore. Contact Greg (x2882) or provide your course number and the potential number of students needing a clicker. Please provide minimum of 2 week lead time.
I>Clicker Checklist Attend a CIT training Receive your instructor kit, which includes: One i>clicker base (also known as a receiver) and USB cable One envelope containing an instructor’s remote sticker One thumb/flash drive (contains the i>clicker software and user documentation) Two blue instructor remotes
Links to More Resources I>clicker: Sign-up for i>clicker training: or by phone at Support is available 5 days a week, 6:00am-8:00pm PST
References Boston College’s Use of i>clicker: ker.rm ker.rm 7 things you should know about…Clickers. Educause Learning Initiative, May
Review Question 1 The brand of clickers that USF has standardized on is: A. Clickers for U B. eInstruction C. I>Clicker D. RFclicker
Review Question 2 USF has standardized on an IR (infrared) clicker? A. True B. False
Review Question 3 The cost of a clicker at USF is approximately: A B C D
Review Question 4 Would you like to see clickers used in your classroom? A. Yes B. No