Module 1:  Emerged Technology

Clickers in the Classroom

Clickers, or student response systems, are a technology used to ensure active learning in the classroom.  Current research on the benefits of using clickers in the classroom has shown that students become actively engaged and enjoy using them.  However, the majority of research on learning outcomes has only compared the use to clickers to traditional methods of learning.  Research has proven that learning outcomes are higher when using clickers, the question is whether the clickers or the active learning pedagogies are the cause for this increase in learning.  When clickers are compared to active class discussion is has been proven that clickers are more effective due to students being able to anonymously respond and clickers implement more of a game approach which seems to keep our students attention for a longer time.  


Some of the challenges associated with clickers is that the questions students are supposed to answer using them are not challenging enough.  In other words, the questions fall into the lower level of Bloom's taxonomy.  Another challenge that faces teachers using clickers is sometimes technology can be problematic, especially when there is a large number of students in the classroom.  Overall, the disadvantages are minor compared to the advantages associated with clickers and active learning.  


From my experience with clickers, I personally find them to work great in the classroom when compared to traditional methods or teaching/learning.  The students are more excited about learning when they know the clickers are involved.  The students that are typically reluctant about answering questions become active in the lessons because they can do so anonymously.

References:


Beatty, I. 2004. Transforming student learning with classroom communication systems. Educause Center for Applied Research (ECAR) Research Bulletin ERB0403 2004 (3): 1–13. http://www.utexas.edu/academic/cit/services/cps/ECARCRS.pdf.


 Draper, S., J. Cargill, and Q. Cutts. 2002. Electronically enhanced classroom interaction. Australian Journal of Educational Technology 18 (1): 13–23.