[This blog post was] written by Dave.
I start my “business law” class today at the university. It is a 10-day (40 hour total) 1.5 credit course. The class is from 8 AM – 12 PM all this week and all next week.
As I was looking over the syllabus to determine what textbook I needed to procure, I also saw the instructor had commented that we needed to purchase a “clicker” from the bookstore. Not knowing what that was, I asked at the bookstore. This is what they sold me (for $28):
The way I understand it, I register the device to my name and when I go to class, the instructor asks the class certain questions. We report our answers via this device. Instructors can use it to take roll, ask questions throughout the lecture, and give quizzes and tests. Immediately upon pressing the button on my device, the system recognizes my transmission and records my answer.
It really is an impressive technology. It’ll certainly keep people paying attention.
Side note: On the back of the i-clicker, the university had taped some instructions:
“Students: You will need to register Your I-clicker by using you’re Student A-number http://www.iclicker.com/registration/”
I think a university placing some custom instructions on merchandise ought to pay a little more attention to capitalization and proper use of “your” vs. “you’re.”
What do you all think of the clicker and its potential in the classroom?
I am interested to see how your professor uses it in class. It really is interesting technology.
And the grammar on the University’s instructions sheet is unfortunate. And English is one of the general classes. Alas!
I had an iclicker for my life in the universe class. We had class Tuesdays and Thursdays and had to bring it with us because our teacher gave us a quiz at the beginning of each class for credit and to check attendance. Also, throughout the class, she would ask questions and would all answer and take polls of what the answer was. She would time us and after a short while would put the tallies up on the computer screen so we could see what everyone was answering. It was great to see how many people would switch their answer to the most popular one. (Even if they were right the first time.) It was easy credit in the class. I quite enjoyed it, especially in large classes when a teacher does not want to count everyone in class.
That is AWESOME! I think that’s a great idea! A very cool way to take quick attendance and a way to get feedback from a group of students who, more often than not, won’t raise their hands to answer a question aloud. Just pose your questions in a multiple choice format and you get feedback from everybody. I’m sold on it.
First of all, the whole your/you’re thing is totally one of my (many) pet peeves! 😈 🙂
I have never seen the i-clicker before. How awesome! After reading your post and Ellen’s comment, I can see how useful this would be…I hope they have these in my classroom by the time I become a teacher in 2017! 🙂
One concern: What if a student sent his/her clicker with a friend so that he/she didn’t have to attend the class?
Very cool! I had the same thought about having a friend take the clicker to class for you.
Wow. I wouldn’t even have thought of letting somebody forge my identity by taking my clicker to class. What kind of students were you guys anyway?
I doubt I’d get away with it anyway since there are only 10 people in my class.
Actually, you should all know that the instructor accidentally told us to get the clicker by having it on the syllabus. He had it on the syllabus for his Freshman students and forgot to remove it for our class.
I returned the i-clicker to the bookstore and got my money back. Darn. It would have been a neat experience to use it.
Meh, on the college level when attendance is even taken it’s typically done by just passing around a roll and having you sign it…a friend could just as easily put your name down on that.
I must agree that for a 10-student class the i-clicker is probably wasted, but for a larger class (especially big auditorium lectures) I think it’d be pretty awesome.