Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; and Classroom Response Systems
An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Electronic Classroom Communication Systems in Large Lecture Classes
| Title: | An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Electronic Classroom Communication Systems in Large Lecture Classes (ID: CSD4169) | | Author(s): | Manjula D. Sharma (University of Sydney), Joe Khachan (University of Sydney), Ben Chan (University of Sydney), and John O'Byrne (University of Sydney) | | Source: | Australasian Journal of Educational Technology | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2005) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | Since 2002 we have been investigating the use of an electronic classroom communication system in large first year lecture classes. Handheld keypads were distributed to teams of students during a lecture class. Students used the keypads to answer two step multiple choice problems after a discussion within their group. The questions were generated using students' answers from previous exams. We have evaluated our use of the classroom communication system using a survey about how comfortable students are with this type of interaction. In addition, we have tried to determine if the use of the classroom communication system can be linked to student performance on exams. Our results show that students are comfortable with this technology and feel that, on the whole, interactive lectures are useful. At a first glance, there is an improvement in students' exam performance, but there are too many competing factors to clearly say that this improvement is solely due to the use of the classroom communication system. Even though this paper is based in physics and a physics example is used to illustrate points, the technique can be applied to other discipline areas. | | View this resource: | |
New for Back-to-school: 'Clickers'
| Title: | New for Back-to-school: 'Clickers' (ID: CSD4153) | | Author(s): | Alorie Gilbert (CNET News.com) | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2005) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | "Students in Ann Auleb's biology of human sexuality class at San Francisco State University are often shy about joining classroom debates on sensitive topics. But more students came out of their shells this spring when Auleb introduced "clickers" into her classes. Students used the handheld gadgets, which look and work a lot like TV remote controls, to respond to classroom polls and quizzes without ever raising their hands or voices." | | View this resource: | |
Wireless Interactive Teaching Simulations
| Title: | Wireless Interactive Teaching Simulations (ID: CSD3970) | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2002) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | Undergraduate lecture courses at many institutions of higher education are quite large, making it difficult to actively involve students and maintain their attention. Ongoing and current budget crises make it difficult to hire additional instructors and reduce class sizes to levels that would allow for more faculty-student or student-student interaction. Wireless interactive teaching simulations (WITS) are seen as one solution to this dilemma. | | View this resource: | |
No Wrong Answer: Click It
| Title: | No Wrong Answer: Click It (ID: CSD3878) | | Origin: | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses (2005) | | Type: | Articles, Papers, and Reports | | Abstract: | Faculty at hundreds of colleges and universities are using small electronic devices similar to television remote controls as part of their in-class instruction. Commonly referred to as "clickers," the devices allow students to respond to instructor questions by choosing one of several options or, in some cases, by entering a numeric answer.Answers are transmitted by either infrared or radio frequency signal to a receiver connected to a computer, which logs the responses and can track individual students' responses, as for a quiz, or display responses from the entire class anonymously. Faculty who use the devices said that because they allow students to respond anonymously, they encourage participation from students who might be too shy to answer verbally in class, and they elicit more honest answers on controversial subjects. Stephen Bradforth, a chemistry professor at the University of Southern California, said that after he began using clickers in his classes, attendance and participation increased. He also noted that the devices force professors to think differently about how they teach their courses. | | View this resource: | |
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