1. Clickers: Instant assessment for the classroom

2. Clickers Electronic devices that look like remote controls Uses: –Interactive lectures –Assessment & evaluation –Keeping students awake!

3. Capabilities The clicker shown on the previous slide uses an RF signal to communicate with a device attached to the instructor’s computer Using the RF clicker, your students can respond to the following types of questions: –Multiple choice, true/false –Numeric –Series Responses are automatically recorded in the designated file on the host computer, and can be shown on the screen for immediate feedback

4. Before classes start Install PRS software on the computer you’ll be using in class –I have been using classroom computers, mostly successfully –I’ll be experimenting with a laptop this semester Important: specify the directory to which results should be logged – since I’m using a flash drive, I have to make sure the drive mapping is correct in different classrooms Need to install: –PRS software –PRS hardware driver for receiver (will be prompted to this the first time you plug in the receiver)

5. Modes of Operation (My terminology) Lecture Test Homework

6. Example session The next several slides illustrate a typical question/response classroom lecture session Preliminary steps (assumes you’re using a PowerPoint lecture): –Attach the receiver and ensure it’s working –Start the PRS software –Start PowerPoint

7. Starting a classroom session

8. Starting PowerPoint

9. Specifying session parameters

10. Typical question

11. Response grid shows student answers have been registered

12. Results can be shown immediately

13. Setting up questions Questions can be created using the PRS Software or embedded directly in PowerPoint To date, I have only used the PowerPoint option, since I use this tool routinely with lectures

14. Using the PowerPoint add-in The add-in is installed automatically with the PRS software You will see a new toolbar when PowerPoint starts:

15. Creating a question Type the question on a blank slide –For multiple choice and series questions, I usually use the “bullet” format, but change bullets to letters or numbers –For short answer, numeric or true/false, I usually use either the “title” or “blank with title” format –If you are going to display a response grid and/or immediate feedback, make sure you leave enough white space on your slide to accommodate these

16. Creating a question Click the “New Question” icon on the PRS toolbar The next slide illustrates the result

17. New Question/Edit Question Menus

18. Student feedback “The clickers made class interactive – keeps one’s attention.” “Use clickers more. Made class more interactive.” “I think using the clickers was helpful in testing for listening during lecture and also understanding, but I think that it would be helpful to give a short quiz with the clicker over the previous lecture to keep the new vocab embedded.”

19. Test Mode For operation in test mode, the same kinds of questions can be used The only real difference between lecture and test mode is in the session parameters: –When each question is created (number of tries, amount of time allowed) –When the session is started (response grid, results, feedback on the clicker)

20. Homework mode I haven’t used this yet Students respond to questions using their clickers off-site; responses are recorded in the clicker memory When students log in during the next class, they can transmit their responses for collection on your computer