Instructional Technology
Conference 2007

Title: Be a Quicker Clicker Picker (and a better one, too)

Name: Kenneth Newton, Ashley Raburn, Ronald Paige

Audience Level: all

Audience: general

Length: 50-60 mins

Abstract:
Interest in the instructional possibilities of clickers is high. However, success in the selection process is based upon knowing what questions to ask. Cleveland State Community College put together a team to research and evaluate clickers. As a result, they not only have the questions, they have the reasons for the answers they arrived at, and results from a year of multiple classroom uses. Think of this session as your “buyers’ guide for clickers.”

Description:
Many instructors are interested in the instructional possibilities offered by hand-held student remote response devices, also known as clickers. However, faculty and staff are often faced with making purchase decisions without adequate useful information. As with any equipment purchase, success in the clicker selection process is based upon knowing what questions to ask. Following the introduction of clickers into a biology class in 2004, Cleveland State Community College (ClSCC) put together a team to research and evaluate clickers for more general cross-campus use. For over a year, committee members attended conferences, made queries at trade shows, contacted representatives, read mailings, and observed clicker use in other schools. Criteria for clicker evaluation included model features, customer support, durability, hardware and software requirements, transmission means, plug-ins, design, activation fees, and device costs. As a result, the ClSCC team not only has synthesized the confusing terminology and determined what questions need to be asked, they have the explanations available for the answers they arrived at. Additionally, based upon results from a year of multiple classroom use, the session presenters will discuss problems with clicker system implementation. The advantages and disadvantages of having the school provide clickers versus having students purchase their own will be addressed. Finally, a demonstration for actual classroom use will be provided. Think of this session as your “buyers’ guide for clickers.”

Session Type: Lecture/Presentation

Contact information/affiliation:
Ronald Paige
rpaige@clevelandstatecc.edu