Student Response Systems / Clickers
What are Clickers?
Known by several names (e.g., classroom communication systems, electronic response systems, interactive response systems), Student Response Systems consist of
- Student transmitter units ("clickers")
- Receiver units to collect student input
- Software to identify a student by clicker and to graphically display summary data for the instructor (and with a classroom projection system, for the entire class)
Typically, an instructor poses a question or problem to the class, students enter their answers into their clickers and the answers are summarized and displayed.
In order to take advantage of new technologies, including integration with Oncourse and mobile devices, IU entered into an agreement with Turning Technologies beginning in the fall of 2009. Instructors may use whatever products they choose in their classes, but formal integration into Oncourse will be exclusively with Turning Technologies.
Why might I use Clickers?
- To increase in-class interaction and participation
- To assess student preparation and learning
- To probe students' opinions or attitudes
- To efficiently administer low-stakes assessments (quizzes)
- To record attendance
How do I get started?
If you are interested in using clickers in your class, contact us. We can help you:
- Get an instructor startup kit
- Download the latest software
- Place the appropriate orders for clickers with the IU Bookstore
Articles of Interest
Instructional Techniques
- Clicker Resources (Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative at the University of British Columbia; Includes videos and an instructor's guide to the effective use of personal response systems ("clickers") in teaching, written to help instructors use clickers in their classes in the most comfortable and pedagogically effective manner. The guide includes a section on frequently asked questions about the use of clickers and several good examples of clicker questions.)
- Transforming Student Learning with Classroom Communication Systems (Educause ECAR, PDF file, access restricted to IU)
- Learning from Past and Present: Electronic Response Systems in College Lecture Halls (Jl. of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, abstract)
- Clickers in the Large Classroom: Current Research and Best-Practice Tips (CBE Life Sciences Education)
- Research on the Effectiveness of Classroom Response Systems (Vanderbilt Center for Teaching)
- Teaching with CRS (University of Central Florida, includes Best Practices and references)
- Teaching with Personal Response Systems ("Clickers") (York University Centre for the Support of Teaching)
- Classroom Communications Systems (Richard Hake, archived POD Listserv article with many references)
- Classroom Communication Systems-Additional References (Richard Hake, archived POD Listserv article with additional references)