QUESTION: I’m considering trying “clickers” in my classroom, but don’t even know where to begin.
ANSWER:
Now that clickers are required in some first-year courses, most students already own them. That means many people around campus are considering using or are already using them in their classrooms and meetings. If you are still unfamiliar with this handheld device, you might recall a television game show that uses the phrase ...and the audience says…. Gathering this kind of audience response is the primary but not the only use of clickers.
As a data collection tool, clickers can provide immediate feedback on attendance, student learning, student opinions, and so on. They can also increase and maintain student engagement in class, increase participation and critical thinking, create a small-class feel in large classrooms, offer immediate feedback for students, and add drama to the classroom setting. Students have grown up with all kinds of hand-held electronics, so it’s a technology that is easy for them to relate to. And if you’re already familiar with PowerPoint, preparing classroom clicker activities will be a snap.
Because audience response system technology (clickers) is a relatively user-friendly tool for instructors, simply deciding to get started may be the most challenging step. The next step is learning to use them effectively to promote student learning, and this is crucial if clickers are going to be a positive addition to your teaching. Before you start, here are a few important questions to consider, either in the context of a clickers class or in conversation with experienced users:
Here are some basic first steps to getting started using clickers technology:
