What are Clickers?
Instructors can evaluate class comprehension or retention of complex material and create an interactive learning experience by polling students using a student response clicker system. This instant feedback enables instructors to tailor lectures to their students’ needs by indicating when to move forward or review material.
How Clickers Work
Student response systems use radio frequency (RF) signals sent from clickers and software to record responses, collect data, and provide feedback. The software collects and integrates responses with common software programs such as PowerPoint, Adobe, Keynote, and Word for instructors’ convenience. Student responses and grades can be exported to a data file for use in Microsoft Excel, Notepad, or Word and then can be imported into programs such as the TED (WebCT/Blackboard) course management system.
UCSD faculty and ACMS have adopted the i>Clicker student response system as the campus standard. It is highly recommended that faculty use i>Clicker so students do not have to purchase multiple brands. ACMS no longer supports the old H-ITT infrared student response system.
Pedagogy
Using Clickers with Peer Instruction
Peer Instruction is a specific pedagogical practice defined by Professor Eric Mazur of the Department of Physics at Harvard University. This lecture by Prof. Mazur is a good first explanation of Peer Instruction:
If you are interested in learning more about Peer Instruction in your course with Clickers, please contact Beth Simon (bsimon@ucsd.edu) or Peter Newbury (pnewbury@ucsd.edu) at the Center for Teaching and Development for more information.
Before Class
To learn more about i>Clicker visit: i>Clicker
To request an i>Clicker Instructor Kit and to receive basic technical training and information, contact:
email: iwdc@ucsd.edu
voice: 858-822-3315
To order clickers for your students to purchase contact:
Leslie Verfaillie, Course Materials Buyer, UCSD Bookstore
email: lverfaillie@ucsd.edu
voice: 858-534-6393
fax: 858-822-0261
Please note:
Faculty Clicker Orders: In order to assure that clickers and books are on the shelves for the first day of class, instructors must to place an order with the bookstore no later than 10 to 12 weeks prior to the beginning of each quarter.
Student Clicker Purchases: Students must pick up a Clickers Slip from the Bookstore Textbook Department and take it to a cashier who will give them the device after payment is made.
Clicker Sell-Back: Students may sell back their used clicker to the Bookstore if it is being used the following quarter and if the Bookstore needs extra devices.
SYLLABUS SUGGESTIONS
We suggest that you put CLEAR instructions in your syllabus about a deadline for registering their clickers and an explanation of how they will do this. *PLEASE NOTE: If you plan on using TED your students must ALL register their clickers through TED. If you are not using TED, your students must ALL register their clickers through the iClicker website. Please specify at which location you want your students to register their clicker on your syllabus.
First Day of Class
On the first day of class, we suggest that you incorporate some type of explanation as to WHY and HOW you will be using clickers in the course. Additionally, don't forget to reinforce that students must register their clickers. (If you are using TED, they need to register their clicker in TED. If you are not using TED, they need to register their clicker on the iClicker website)
If you would be more comfortable, ACMS can have a technician come to the first portion of your class to assist you if any questions come up. If you would like for us to do that, please email iwdc@ucsd.edu or call 858-822-3315.
After Class
To use TED with i>Clicker, visit our F.A.Q. page for information on getting started.
For faculty that are not using TED, ACMS has developed a tool to convert your class list to a Roster.txt file needed by i>Clicker. It can be found at acms.ucsd.edu/units/iwdc/ClickerClasslist/.
If you plan on using TED your students must all register their clickers through TED. If you are not using TED, your students must all register their clickers through the iClicker website. Please specify to your students where to register their clicker on your syllabus.
Resources
Beyond the technical, there are some documented best practices on how to best use clickers to improve student learning, especially in the sciences. The following resources are meant to help faculty using clickers use them in some of the most pedagogically beneficial ways. The resources have specific suggested practices for question content.
- Clicker Resource Guide A hands-on set of recommended practices with an appendix of specific examples. Prepared by staff of the CU Science Education Initiative and the UBC Carl Wieman SEI [PDF 8 MB]
- Clickers in the Large Classroom: Current Research and Best Practice Tips: A thorough introduction to clickers by Jane E. Caldwell from the Department of Biology, West Virginia University [Viewable on campus or via proxy]
- UCSD Biology Prof. Steve Wasserman on clickers: An audio recording discussing best-practices for the use of clickers in the classroom (2009). [Audio File MP3]
- Tips for Successful "Clicker" Use by Dr. D. Duncan: A brief but helpful piece on successful use of clickers in the classroom (Univ. of Colorado, 2009). [PDF]
- YouTube videos about the use of clickers in the Science classroom: Videos from the Univ. of Colorado about using clickers in science classes, including upper-division courses.
- Links from the Vanderbilt Center for Teaching An extensive bibliography of articles about using clickers in the classroom.
- Example Clicker Questions
UCSD Faculty with pedagogical questions about using clickers may contact Professor Beth Simon.