iClickers and other participation devices improve learning, instructors say

• Tweet
• 

Editor’s note: This story was updated for accuracy.

Professors are turning to various technology systems to interact with students in more than twenty classrooms at Central Michigan University.

ResponseCards and i>clickers are a few of the most popular technology systems used to engage students in anonymous participation using quizzes, polls and surveys. The devices range from $30 to $50 dollars from the CMU bookstore, located in the Bovee University Center, and the Student Book Exchange, 209 E. Bellows St.

Biology Associate Professor Jennifer Schisa is using i>clickers in her classroom for the first time this semester for daily participation and attendance purposes.

“I think (clickers) motivate students to attend class, to discuss concepts with their peers, which is documented to result in increased student learning and to try their best,” Schisa said. “Students are more active learners in classrooms with clickers.”

Associate Journalism Professor Timothy Boudreau uses an early version of the classroom performance system. By bringing an old set of clickers to class, Boudreau’s students still get to take part in the technological interaction, but do not have to spend money to buy the clicker.

Boudreau, who has used the system for about seven years, said the clickers are a good break from constantly taking notes. He uses them for class participation, polling and opinion.

Gary Gagnon, assistant professor of market and hospitality services administration, uses the ResponseWave system, allowing his students to choose between using ResponseCards or iDevices for their clicker.

By using iDevices, students can link their iTouch, iPhone or iPad to the ResponseWave server through Wi-Fi connections. Gagnon said about one-third of his students take advantage of the innovation of mobile technology in the classroom.

Gagnon said he uses the ResponseWave system every day in his class for participation, which allows the silent majority to speak up, which leads to a good debate.

Wallace Weiss, instructor of marketing and hospitality services administration, also uses the ResponseWave system in his classroom, but he believes the iDevice system is too complex and unreliable. He prefers his students to use the ResponseCard LCDs because they are specifically designed for the Turning Point Software.

He said living in a world dominated by technology, people want immediate feedback. With response systems students can be linked directly to Blackboard, giving them grades and classroom feedback almost instantly, Weiss said.

After much studying, Weiss has noticed the clickers cause higher test scores.

“In order to maximize student learning, I have to use (clickers),” Weiss said. “There is no question.”