Using audience response systems (clickers) in the classroom

Below are some frequently asked questions about Audience Response Systems, often referred to as "clickers".

General Information

Q: What is i>clicker?

A: i>clicker is the brand of clickers recommended by Educational Technology Services (ETS) at the Berkeley campus. Clickers, and i>clicker specifically, are a simple personal response tool that resembles multimedia remote control units that many people have at home. i>clicker uses radio frequency technology to transmit and record student responses to questions or requests for input. They are used in tandem with a small, portable receiving station placed in the front of your classroom.

Q: Why does ETS offer only "i>clicker"?

A: There are several different audience response technologies on the market at this time. ETS chose to recommend i>clicker because it has several advantages over other systems, namely:

1. The system is portable and can be used anywhere; it does not matter which classroom you are assigned to.
2. The system is easy to use and accurate.
3. i>clicker is less expensive than other systems. The instructor kit is free and student clickers cost $35.25 new (and $26 used).

We piloted i>clicker in the classroom in Spring 2008, and are now offering them more widely across campus.

Costs of i>clicker

Q: Does ETS cover the cost of clicker acquisition and distribution (of the clickers, receivers, and software) for faculty and students?

A: No, ETS does not cover any of the costs.

We do, however, have an agreement that allows for the pooling of all purchases across Berkeley. This means that we receive the maximum number of free receivers and instructor kits to distribute to faculty who want to use them.

Students, on the other hand, will be responsible for the clicker cost as part of required class materials. When a faculty member decides to use i>clicker in their class they will require their students to purchase clickers through the bookstore. Clickers may not be shared by students as each clicker is registered to one student.

Q: As a faculty member, I am concerned that the cost for students to buy their own clickers will be burdensome. Will students be able to use the clicker they purchase in future courses?

A: Yes, students will be able to use their clickers across multiple classes and over many years.

Acquiring and setting up your  i>clicker system

Q: What tools do I need to make the i>clicker system work?

A: An instructor kit and a laptop is all you need to start using the system. An instructor kit includes:

• A base receiver
• A flash drive loaded with the i>clicker software
• User documentation
• Two blue instructor clicker/remotes

Q: Do I need to give my instructor kit back at the end of the semester?

A: No, it is yours to keep for future uses.

Q: I would like to try clickers in my class next semester. How can I find out what room I need to request?

A: i>clicker can be used in any general assignment classroom on campus. It is a portable system with a 200-foot range that can record up to 1500 votes on one receiver.

Q: How do I load the software on my laptop?

A: Instructions and a free download can be found here: http://www.iclicker.com/dl/dl.html

If you need technical support contact: iclicker@lists.berkeley.edu

Q: If I do decide to go ahead with this program, what steps do I need to follow to order clickers at the bookstore, incorporate i>clicker questions into my lecture, etc.?

A:

1. Order i>clicker clickers for your students from the bookstore. You will need to do this in advance of the beginning of classes.
2. To order an instructor base kit contact i>clicker rep: Kristin Snow, ksnow@iclicker.com. To borrow an available base for trial, contact ETS: iclicker@lists.berkeley.edu.
3. Attend the online training at www.iclicker.com and review the user documentation.
4. Set up your class roster.

Q: Would it be possible for me to borrow an i>clicker system to use for practice?

A: ETS has some faculty/instructor clickers as well as some bases that you may borrow. We do not have any student clickers that we can lend however.

Q: I would like to try clickers in my class next semester. How can I find out what room I need to request?

A: i>clicker is a portable system with a 200-foot range that can record up to 1500 votes on one receiver. It can be used in any general assignment classroom on campus.

Q: This course is team-taught do we do more than one installation?

A: The hardware is portable and the software is on a Flash drive so it will be up to you and the other instructor to decide how you want to set it up. You can install the software on more than one laptop. If you can coordinate sharing the base unit, one will work. If not, we suggest you each get one.

Clickers and teaching

Q: How have your faculty and students responded to the use of clickers for instruction?

A: The response has been mixed, but overall very positive. Many of the faculty who piloted the tools will be using them again. Here are some quotations from faculty and students with experience using clickers in the classroom:

Faculty member:

• “The students are clearly enthusiastic about the clickers and they respond very well when I start ‘interrogating’ them about why they answered the way they did. It's a great base for discussion/interactive dialogue, as I had hoped.”

Student:

• “Using clickers helped the professor to understand how well we understood a particular concept and whether he should explain it again or in a different way. It also made a lecture more interesting and kept me more engaged.”

Q: How do I find out more about clicker technology and its effective use in the classroom?

A: Here are two articles that discuss the use of clickers in the classroom:

1. “7 Things You Should Know About Clickers,” Educause Learning Initiative

http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7002.pdf

2. “Clickers in the Classroom: An Active Learning Approach,” Margie Martyn

http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/ClickersintheClassroomAnA/40032

Q: Is there some kind of training I can take about how to use i>clicker and develop appropriate questions, etc.?

A: To learn how to use i>clicker devices and how to best apply clickers to your teaching goals, you will want to consult a couple different sources:

1. Attend online training at www.iclicker.com and review the user documentation.

For examples of good uses of clickers in the classroom and for ideas about how they might help you further your teaching goals contact: iclicker@lists.berkeley.edu