Classroom Response System: Clickers

What are clickers?
How it works
How are faculty using clickers?
Getting Started
Support and Training
Resources
Pedagogical Resources

Beginning with the Spring 2009, CITS/Instructional Development will be recommending and supporting the iClicker classroom response system, also known as “clickers’. By standardizing to a single system, students will benefit by purchasing one (brand) clicker device that can be used over several courses and provides the best economical pricing for the student clicker devices and instructor receivers. 

CITS Instructional Development has chosen to standardize and provide support for the iClicker upon the following criteria:

• Ease of Use Provides a simple user interface, plug-and-play startup with no hardware to install
• Cost Lowest cost for student clicker devices and instructor receivers
• Flexibility iClicker floats above any application and is cross platform compatible

What are clickers?

Classroom response systems are wireless keypads that students use to answer questions posed by their instructor which are then captured in real time by a receiver for viewing instantly by the instructor and student and can be saved for later viewing. Your instructor may require you to purchase a clicker as part of your course along with your textbook. CITS/Instructional Development will be recommending and supporting the iClicker classroom response system, however, your instructor may opt to use another clicker vendor.

How it works

Instructors have prepared or can create on-the-fly questions during a lecture. Students use their clickers to then answer questions in real time and are stored in software on the instructor's computer/laptop. Summaries of the answers can then be provided instantly to the instructor and student usually as a graphic and can also be stored for later viewing and reporting.

Getting Started

Faculty who are considering integrating clickers into their course(s) should attend one of the upcoming training sessions that will demonstrate the iClicker classroom response system, offer ideas for integrating into the classroom, and explain how to get started using them in your classroom or contact Instructional Development at 508.999.8501 for more information.

If you are ready to begin using clickers:

1. Contact Instructional Development to reserve an instructor's receiver base unit. Instructor base units are available to faculty for loaner purposes on a semester basis. Faculty need to return the unit at the end of each semester. Please plan ahead and inform Instructional Development well in advance of the start of the semester. We will make every effort to accommodate all requests, but we cannot guarantee the availability of a base unit. Departments and faculty can also purchase instructor base units directly through iClicker at http://www.iclicker.com/dnn/OrderingInformation/HigherEducationFaculty/tabid/160/Default.aspx.

2. Order the student remotes through the UMass Dartmouth campus bookstore when you order your textbooks. Contact the bookstore directly at 508.999.8180.

3. We highly encourage setting up an appointment for training and initial setup with an ID team member OR attend one of the clicker training sessions offered prior to the start of the semester. Alternatively, feel free to sign up for a live demonstration through iClicker.

4. Download the iClicker software for Windows or MAC

5. Let your students know that you will be using clickers as part of your course. Download the instructor's first day of class materials which contains a sample syllabus statement and handout for your students and the instructor's checklist.

Support and Training

Instructional Development Training

iClicker Training Sessions
Schedule an Individual Training Session
Clickers in the Classroom (pdf)

Clicker Registration

There are two ways to register student remotes, using the in class roll call or having students register independently via the web registration form. Either way, students will be using their UMass Dartmouth Logon (email username) as their iClicker username.

Clickers in the Clasroom (in class registration)
Web Registration (student's register via web form)

Please contact CITS Instructional Development with questions or for further information at 508.999.8501.

iClicker Web Demonstrations and Support

Sign up for a live demonstration and training session at https://iclicker.webex.com/

For technical support contact support@iclicker.com or call toll free 1.866.209.5698.
Live technical support hours are: Monday-Friday, 9 am–11 p.m EST

iClicker Resources

Pedagogical Resources

Seven things you should know about clickers
Educause Learning Initiative. Teaching with Clickers Zhu, Erping

Instructors Guide to the Effective Use of Personal Response Syetems (Clickers)
CU Science Education Initiative and the UBC Carl Wieman SEI

Faculty Case Studies
iClicker

Best Practices and Tips
iClicker

Clickers in the Classroom An Active Learning Approach
Educause Quarterly