Easy-to-use-Tech Tools Enhance Instruction
Clickers Boost Student Engagement
Gary Hunter (MKT) and Rosie Hauck (ACC) are using technology to improve student engagement and the quality instruction in their courses. Both recently shared their experiences at the College of Business Technology Buffet.
Q: Rosie, let’s talk about clickers since you’ve been working with them all fall. Could you briefly describe what a clicker is, looks like and does?
Rosie: The classroom response system, commonly called clickers, consists of a receiver, software, and a handheld device that looks much like a small remote control. When I first described clickers to my students, I told them using it would be similar to the audience participation lifeline in “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Typically I integrate their use into PowerPoint. This allows me to pose a multiple-choice question in PowerPoint and then have all my students respond using their individual clickers. Instantly, the class and I can see the results.
Q: Is a clicker a tool you use every class or just a few times throughout the semester?
Rosie: I use the clickers in every class session that doesn’t have an exam. I wanted to integrate the technology into the course so it really became a regular part of the instruction, rather than just a new toy to try out. Also, since students buy the clickers, just as they do textbooks, I wanted them to get their money’s worth.
Q: What are some ways you utilize a clicker to aid instruction and assessment?
Rosie: Typically in each class I ask a series of questions after I finish talking about a topic or concept. This provides a way from me to gauge if the students have followed what I just discussed or not. On average, I do two to three clicker sessions per class, so students have to “check in” every 15 to 20 minutes. Prior to exams, I also use the clickers as we review. Because each click is associated to a particular student, I can track how well each student is performing. The reporting function gives me the correct number of responses for each student per session, I’ve also found the devices are good to use when posing opinion questions that lead into class discussions.
Q: What impact have you seen clickers have on student engagement and accountability?
Rosie: Given that my classes may have up to 85 students, the clickers give each student a chance to participate and become more actively engaged. Students have told me they like being able to see how they stand as compared to the rest of the class. Clicker participation accounts for a percentage of their course grade, so they know they’re getting credit for their participation.
Q: How long have you used clickers in your classes? Have you encountered any drawbacks or technical frustrations with them?
Rosie: I started using clickers in ACC 270 – Information Systems in Organization, right after we came back from Labor Day and I have integrated them in almost every class session since. There is a bit of a learning curve for using clickers, but it is minimal for both the instructor and the students. Like any new technology, there can be some glitches, but so far they’ve been minor.
Q: What sort of a response have you gotten from students about clickers and the impact they have on instruction and assessment?
Rosie: By far, the majority of my students enjoy using the clickers in class. The feedback I have received is that the use of these simple hand-held devices keeps students more focused and helps them check their understanding of the material as it is presented. They especially like when we create teams within the class where groups compete to get the highest score. Although I haven’t run the statistics yet, previous research has shown the use of clickers does result in better performance, especially in larger lecture classes.
Q: Let’s shift to another technology application that benefits both instructors and students – WebCT. Gary and Rosie, for those who haven't used it, describe what it WebCT is and how it can be used to enhance instruction and communication.
Gary: WebCT is an on-line, interactive learning utility that allows faculty members to publish courses online. It is a great way to post all class materials, announcements, grades, and also let students connect in a variety of ways about the course.
Q: What impact has WebCT had on your teaching?
Gary: I really like using the discussion board feature to get students thinking and interacting between class sessions. I have the MBA class develop cases based on their work and life experience. Using the discussion board, students can post these cases for others to read. In the past, I would have had a week's lag or I would have had to use class time for reading the case between the due date of the case and the presentation of the case. Using the WebCT discussion board eliminates this downtime.”
Rosie: Using WebCT cuts down on the number of e-mails I receive and everyone benefits from the answers and materials available there. I also use the discussion module on WebCT for team discussions. Each student is randomly a signed to a team of five. Every week the teams discuss an ethical issue surrounding the concepts presented in class. Not only does this require that each student actively participates in the discussion, I find students learn more by sharing experiences and getting a chance to reflect on their own beliefs. WebCT provides an excellent forum for doing this outside our regular sessions.
Gary: Another thing I like about WebCT is being able to use online quizzes to insure students are reading the book and to get them to think about the material in an environment outside the classroom. This not only frees class time for other activities, discussions are improved because students have a better understanding of the material.
Q: If a faculty member wants to begin using WebCT or a clicker, where should they begin so it is a successful first venture for both them and for their students?
Rosie: There are a number of resources I have used to help me get started. They are available through the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology. The Center offers workshops every semester on ways to incorporate technology into instruction. I am also part of a web-based group that meets every two weeks to share ideas on using technology to enhance classroom learning.
Gary: I suggest you talk with other instructors who can share their experiences. For me, brainstorming with colleagues has been very helpful.
To learn more, visit http://www.ciss.ilstu.edu/electools/index.shtml.
Foil Cheaters with Technology
Chad Kahl and Jennifer Hootman from Milner Library presented the intriguing topic "Cheating and Technology" at the recent COB Technology Buffet. Mike Dumler (MQM), one of the event’s coordinators, said faculty need to be sensitive to the issue of plagiarism and aware that helpful resources are available when they want to verify the legitimacy of a student’s work. Kahl and Hootman have compiled a website that offers specific tools to deal with this important issue. The following site http://www.ilstu.edu/~cmkahl/presentations/plagiarism/ has current information and links that provide:
- plagiarism detection software
- strategies for detection on Google and other Internet search engines, metacrawlers and directories
- directories of research paper mill web sites
- reviews of popular full-text library article databases, such as Academic Search Premier
- a library citation chasing tool, Citation Linker, which allows user to review full-text versions of articles.
