Clickers 101: A Primer for College Faculty Dr. Stephanie V. Chasteen Science Education Initiative, CU-Boulder An introduction to the what, why, and how of clickers THERE IS A POLL OPEN. Do you see it? If not, select “polling” from the dropdown menu on your toolbar. Introduce yourself in the chat window as you come in: Where and what you teach, and why you are here.

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About Me Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 3 Science Education Initiative: Improving science education through research on learning Physics Education Research Group : Studying student learning in physics I’m also a blogger & consultant

Agenda Why question? About clickers and Peer Instruction Facilitation tips Common challenges Handouts at

U. Colorado clicker resources… Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 5 Videos of effective use of clickers Clicker resource page 2-5 mins long Instructor’s Guide Question banks Workshops Literature / Articles

Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder Introduction: Questioning

Why question? Why and when do we use questions (any questions!) in class? Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 7 Chat discussion Share your ideas in the chat window.

Clickers help students learn... Peter Newbury, UCSD 9 BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen the learning cycle

BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning assess prior knowledgeprovoke thinking predict motivate discover Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Peter Newbury, UCSD 10 Clickers help students learn...

the learning cycle BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning assess prior knowledgeprovoke thinking predict motivate discoverprobe misconception synthesis exercise skillevaluation analysis check knowledgereal world application Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Peter Newbury, UCSD 11 Clickers help students learn...

the learning cycle demonstrate success BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning assess prior knowledgeprovoke thinking predict motivate discoverprobe misconception synthesis exercise skillevaluation review / recap “big picture” exit poll analysis check knowledgereal world application Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Peter Newbury, UCSD 12 Clickers help students learn...

BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Do they care about this? Are they ready for the next topic? What DO they care about, anyway? What do they already know? Peter Newbury, UCSD 13 Clickers help teachers teach…

Did they notice key idea X? Where are they in the activity? BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Are they getting it? Do I need to intervene? Clickers help teachers teach… Peter Newbury, UCSD 14

How did I do? Did they get it? BEFOREDURINGAFTER setting up instruction developing knowledge assessing learning Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen Can I move to the next topic? Did that activity work? Peter Newbury, UCSD 15 Clickers help teachers teach…

Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder About clickers and peer instruction

Two way conversations with students are vital because students can misunderstand what we say

What does the “clicker” do for us? 18 What does this tool help us to do? Chat discussion Why use clickers to ask questions? Share your ideas in the chat window.

What does the “clicker” do for us? Clicker questions have similar goals to non- clicker questions but… They are anonymous (to peers) Every student has a voice – the loud ones and the shy ones There is forced wait time You can withhold the answer until everyone has had time to think (choose when to show the histogram) They are multiple choice 19 What does this tool help us to do?

Clickers are a tool for questioning But not a magic bullet! 20 Don’t equate the pedagogy with the technology. So what IS the pedagogy? Peer Instruction

Anatomy of Peer Instruction 21 Ask Question Peer Discussion Vote Debrief …Lecture… (May vote individually) * See also: Peer Instruction, A User’s Manual. E. Mazur.

22 Let’s try an example: Which superpower would you rather have? The ability to… A. Change the mass of things B. Change the charge of things C. Change the magnetization of things D. Change the boiling point of things Question: Ian Beatty, UNC GreensboroImage: Thibault fr on Wikimedia Poll question Respond to the poll, not in the chat.

Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder Facilitation Tips

1. Ask a Question 24 Ask several questions per lecture Ask challenging, meaningful, interesting questions Make your questions part of the lecture (not a quiz at the end) Use 2-5 questions per 50- minute lecture Learning is in the application of knowledge. Students can learn from a question, and reduces pace of lecture.

Conceptual question: Biology A small acorn over time can grow into a huge oak tree. The tree can weigh many tons. Where does most of the mass come from as the tree grows? A) Minerals in the soil B) Organic matter in the soil C) Gases in the air D) Sunlight Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 25 Common misconception leads to answers (A) and (B). Correct answer: C 25

Survey/discussion: Sociology A.Don’t have two opposite-sex parents / one or both didn’t work / varied year to year B.Dad usually earned a lot more C.Dad usually earned a little more D.Mom usually earned a lot more E.Mom usually earned a little more 20Soc%20forthcoming.pdf Stefanie Mollborn When you were growing up, which of your parents earned the most money?

Discussion question: History In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on the modern world? A)coffee B)tea C)chocolate D)spice E)sugar Peter Newbury, UCSD 27 Good discussion/debate question, before or after instruction Not necessarily a right answer.

John is walking to school. This graph shows his position as a function of time. When is John moving with the greatest velocity? 28 time position ABCDE (UBC CWSEI) Graphical question: Physics

What texture does this rock display? A. Phaneritic B. Aphanitic C. Porphyritic D. Glassy CU SEI Question with images: Geology

Example of a less effective question “Apprized” means A)Appreciated B)Compromised C)Defied D)Noted Peter Newbury, UCSD 30 No need to talk to your neighbor; you know it or you don’t! Does not encourage reasoning.

Another example of a less effective question What causes the seasons? A)The change in the earth’s distance from the sun during the year B)The tilt of the earth’s axis C)Changes in the sun’s brightness D)Changes in clouds E)None of the above Peter Newbury, UCSD 31 Can pattern-match to find the answer because “tilt” would have been mentioned during lecture

What would happen to the seasons if the earth’s orbit around the sun was made a perfect circle (but nothing else changed) ? A.There would be no seasons B.The seasons would remain pretty much as they are today C.Winter to spring would differ much less than now D.Winter to spring would differ much more than now Much better question. Requires reasoning! Better seasons example

2. Peer Discussion & Vote Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 33 Get students on-board Circulate & listen Model good discussion Give about 2-5 minutes Show students you value their reasoning Students learn more deeply by articulating their thinking and teaching each other

How to get students to buy-in? See our “framing the active engagement classroom” activities and slides at resources/framing.html resources/framing.html Encourage engagement early and often!

Three schools of thought about points Not recommended. Shuts down conversation, and does not support atmosphere of learning and respect. Most often used. May only count as extra credit. E.g., 3 points participation, 1 point correctness. Best-case scenario, if you can pull it off.

Reacting to their votes 36 Carefully choose when to show the histogram. Use your sneak preview to guide your instruction. What do you do when it’s -90% correct? -70% correct? -50% correct? -20% correct? This is where you show your “agility.”

What do you think you should do with this first-vote distribution? First vote 37 A)“Turn to your neighbours and convince them you’re right” B)confirm correct answer and move on C)“Can someone who answered B tell us why they made that choice?” D)“Would someone like to explain why they picked the answer they did?” E)other

3. Wrap-Up Discussion. 38 Be careful about when to show histogram Ask multiple students to defend their answers Emphasize reasoning for right & wrong answers Treat student answers respectfully Make sure students know answer (and reason) by the end. It is important to hear student ideas, and for students to get feedback on their thinking.

39 Giving the answer stops student thinking!

Peer Instruction helps students learn Research shows that: Students can better answer a similar question after talking to their peers Students like peer instruction Peer instruction classes outperform traditional lectures on a common test Peer discussion + instructor explanation of question works better than either one alone See for various references

Question break Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder 41 Ask Question Peer Discussion Vote Debrief …Lecture… (May vote individually

Creative Commons – Attribution. Please attribute Stephanie Chasteen / Science Education Initiative/ CU-Boulder Common challenges

Challenges in the Classroom You ask students a question, and ask them to discuss. You then ask them to share their answers and reasoning in a whole-class discussion What could possibly go wrong? 43

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? Students reluctant to discuss? Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. Students reluctant to discuss? Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss?1.Make it clear why you’re doing this Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up 5.Ask for student reasoning in wrap-up Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up 5.Ask for student reasoning in wrap-up 6.Careful about motivating with points (can backfire) Students reluctant to share with class?

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up 5.Ask for student reasoning in wrap-up 6.Careful about motivating w/ points (can backfire) Students reluctant to share with class? 1.Circulate and eavesdrop

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up 5.Ask for student reasoning in wrap-up 6.Careful about motivating w/ points (can backfire) Students reluctant to share with class? 1.Circulate and eavesdrop 2.Give incentives (candy?)

Practices to avoid common challenges: ChallengePossible solution Content coverage? 1.Focus questions on key concepts. 2.Reduce content in class or course. Students reluctant to discuss? 1.Make it clear why you’re doing this 2.Use interesting questions 3.Circulate during question 4.Focus on reasoning in wrap-up 5.Ask for student reasoning in wrap-up 6.Careful about motivating w/ points (can backfire) Students reluctant to share with class? 1.Circulate and eavesdrop 2.Give incentives (candy?) 3.Create a safe environment

Clickers can change your classroom! 56

Action Plan Take a few minutes to write down your action plan to implement ideas you heard about in the webinar, and it to yourself! 57 Thank you! Feel free to contact me at and visit my blog at More resources at More webinars from i>clicker at Handouts at