Effective Implementation of

Classroom Response Systems

Dr. Jeff StowellDepartment of PsychologyEastern Illinois University

Session 1 Overview Basic uses Implementation issues Writing effective questions Using clickers with peer instruction

What is your primary program affiliation?

0%

24%

8%

24%

20%

24% 1. Clinical Psychology2. Occupational Therapy3. Physical Therapy4. Biomedical Sciences5. Physician Assistant6. Other

What level of experience do you have using clickers?1. None2. Beginner3. Intermediate4. Expert

Resistance to Technology? “Students today can’t

prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!” (Teacher’s Conference, 1703).

Resistance to Technology? “Students today depend

upon paper too much. They don’t know how to write on slate without chalk dust all over themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper?” (Principal’s Association, 1815)

Resistance to Technology? “Students today depend

too much upon ink. They don’t know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.” (National Association of Teachers, 1907)

Resistance to Technology? "What matters is that

students learn--and a skilled teacher with a blackboard is still going to do a far better job than a bozo with some clickers and PowerPoint slides.“

(tee_bee, comment on Chronicle Blog)

Why use Classroom Response Systems?

Which of the following are challenges of teaching today’s students? (vote for up to 5)

46%

88%

17%

21%

67%

50% 1. Easily distracted2. Not engaged in class3. Lack of respect4. Low attendance5. Don’t read textbook6. Texting in class

How often can you tell if your students are “getting it”?

Always

Most

of the ti...

Sometimes

Occ

asionally

Never

0%

56%

0%

8%

36%

1. Always2. Most of the time3. Sometimes4. Occasionally5. Never

Why Clickers? Stowell & Nelson (2007)

Why Clickers? Stowell & Nelson (2007)

Noticeable Benefits of CRS

Concept Check

Which of the following manipulations would increase feeding behavior?

1. Increase ghrelin2. Decrease leptin3. Stimulate LH4. Damage VMH5. High insulin6. Inhibit PVN7. Decrease CCK

Opinion Polls

Would you pull the switch?

44%

56% 1. Yes2. No

Proper oral hygiene is important to prevent disease.

0%

0%

8%

92% 1. Strongly Agree2. Agree3. Disagree4. Strongly Disagree

Did you floss yesterday?

Yes N

o

32%

68%1. Yes2. No

Implementation Issues

Teaching Choices

Writing Effective Questions

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Conceptual Questions Imagine holding two

identical bricks under water. Brick A is just beneath the surface of the water, while Brick B is at a greater depth. The force needed to hold Brick B in place is…

1. Larger than2. The same as 3. Smaller than

the force required to hold Brick A in place.

Eric Mazur, Physics, Harvard

University

Conceptual QuestionsWhich solution best represents HF disassociation in solution? (What does the equilibrium picture look like?)

HF(aq) H+(aq) + F-(aq) K = 6.8 10-4

A B C

Barbara Reisner, Chemistry, James Madison University

Application Questions Consider the view of the

northeastern horizon shown at a certain date and time. Which of the following best describes the positions of these constellations 24 hours later?

1. Slightly lower in the sky, closer to the NE horizon.

2. Exactly the same place3. Slightly higher in the sky,

farther up from the NE horizon

4. Somewhere just above the SW horizon

5. Not visible at all above the horizon

Patrick Len, Astronomy,

Cuesta College

Application Questions

Adam Lucas, Mathematics,St. Mary’s College of California

Critical Thinking QuestionsRR, a patient diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, comes in for follow-up. He brings his SMBG log book and you see that most of his pre-breakfast numbers have been high, around 200. After questioning RR, he says he has been waking in the middle of the night with a lot of sweating. The most likely reason for his high AM sugars is:

1.Dawn phenomenon2.Poor dinner choices3.Not enough insulin in the evening4.Somogyi effect5.Incorrect use of BG meter

Stuart Beatty, Pharmacology,Ohio State University

Nurse anesthetists have a higher median salary than OB/GYNs

25%

35%

25%

15% 1. True, for sure2. True, maybe3. False, maybe4. False, for sure

Peer Instruction

Smith et al., 2009

Which of the following contributes the most to the mass of a tree?

16%

84%

0% 1. Air2. Water3. Soil

Your sister-in-law calls to say that she's having twins.Which of the following is more likely?(Assume that she’s not having identical twins.)

25%

25%

25%

25% 1. Twin boys2. Twin girls3. One boy and one girl4. All are equally likely

Peer Instruction

Session 1 Overview Basic uses Implementation issues Writing effective questions Using clickers with peer instruction