Making Ethics Click: Using a Student Response System In a Humanities Discussion Course by Mike Dorsher, Ph.D., assistant professor Department of Communication and Journalism University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Presentation Outline Traditional uses of “clickers” Traditional uses of “clickers” l Taking attendance l Gathering demographic data l Verifying lecture assimilation l In-class quizzes New uses of clickers in discussion classes New uses of clickers in discussion classes l Quick surveys l Decision trees l Augmenting students’ presentations F Grading classmates’ presentations

Results of previous SRS studies 1996 Rutgers U. study, N = Rutgers U. study, N = 85 l 88% felt more “involved” with clickers l 67% said clickers help them see if they’re getting it 1997 Ball State U. study, N = Ball State U. study, N = 740 l 42% liked clickers for taking attendance l 46% paid better attention in class with them l 85% liked clickers better than raising hands 2005 University of Wisconsin System study, N = 1, University of Wisconsin System study, N = 1,500 l 78% agreed clickers made them more engaged l 75% agreed they helped them see if they’re getting it l 67% agreed clickers helped them pay attention F 55% agreed clickers facilitate interaction among students

Attendance; e.g. How familiar are you with the Unabomber case? Not at all I remember it, but I’m fuzzy on the details I remember the Unabomber’s name I read part of the Unabomber Manifesto in The Post or The Times I am the Unabomber

N = 108, mean = 2.72, st. dev. = 1.35

Demographic data; e.g. My most recent degree is in … Journalism/mass comm Other communications Education English A social science A natural science Business None of the above

N = 107, mean = 2.74, st. dev. = 1.22

Lecture assimilation; e.g. Which was NOT a key question in this case: Should The Post and Times negotiate with a terrorist? Should the papers comply with the FBI request to print? Should they replace news stories with the Manifesto? Should they turn over the manuscript as evidence?

N = 106, mean = 2.54, st. dev. = 1.03

In-class quizzes; e.g. How did the FBI catch the Unabomber? He gave himself up Someone recognized him from ‘America’s Most Wanted’ His mother read the Manifesto in the paper and turned him in His brother read the Manifesto online and turned him in

N = 105, mean = 2.10, st. dev. = 0.86

Quick surveys; e.g. As Post editor, which would you value most? Upholding 1 st Amendment independence from the govt Increased readership Maintaining credibility Possibly helping save lives Informing readers Not acquiescing to terrorists Possibly helping capture a criminal

Quick surveys; e.g. As The Post editor, whom do you most owe loyalty? The terrorist, who’s threatening you Future potential victims of the terrorist The surviving victims and families of dead victims The government Your readers/the public Yourself & other journalists

Decision trees; e.g. With a top value of ____ and top loyalty of ____, which ethicist would you follow: John Rawls: Protect the vulnerable; print the Manifesto John Stuart Mill: The greatest good for the greatest number; don’t print it to uphold press independence Aristotle: The golden mean would be to excerpt it in the paper and publish it all online

N = 108, mean = 3.69, st. dev. = 1.04

Augmenting students’ presentations; e.g. Under what circumstances should Carl’s Jr. run the sexy Paris Hilton BBQ burger commercial? Never, it’s in poor taste Only after consulting every franchisee Only if the ad informs viewers that franchisees were not consulted No restrictions or conditions at all

N = 50, mean = 2.62, st. dev. = 0.83

What grade would you give this speaker on her or his voice volume and pace, eye contact and hand gestures? 1. F 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. A

Please grade him or her on use of PowerPoint (e.g., use of 7-7 rule, readability and violations of the ‘Style Errors to Avoid’) 1. F 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. A

Grade how well he or she analyzed the case (i.e., Was he or she pluralistic and persuasive?) 1. F 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. A

Grade how well he or she taught you (i.e., How interesting was the dilemma, and how much did you learn from this analysis?) 1. F 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. A

N = 54, mean = 2.15, st. dev. = 1.25

N = 107, mean = 2.53, st. dev. = 1.03

N = 104, mean = 3.25, st. dev. = 0.97

N = 108, mean = 3.25, st. dev. = 1.00

N = 106, mean = 3.08, st. dev. = 1.17

N = 51, st. dev. = 1.93

N = 106, mean = 1.94, st. dev. = 0.85