Re: [school-discuss] Open Source Classroom Response Software "clickers"

["William Bryan Jackson" <bryan.jackson@xxxxxxxx>]

> The only danger of this is 'hitching your wagon to a 
> star'... is this some sort of universal solution (in 
> terms of the lower end talking to some device) or will 
> this lockin to this device only. Are there other versions 
> of this kind of device available (so that a general 
> solution can be devised to any of these devices)?

Yes, the receiever is a universal IR reciever. It will 
receive and decode many different types of infrared remote 
control signals. Also, there are multiple infrared 
receivers available, from commercial receivers, to DIY 
plans. Worst case I could design one, but it would be a 
pretty hefty project.

> Secondly, what kind of responses can be tallied?  Just 
> T/F or also multiple values?
>
> One can always just ask for a show of hands. What will 
> be the pedagogic value of this? I really don't want to 
> get into testing using a 'Game Show Format'... (grin)

That is exactly the right question. Technology for its own 
sake is often an obstacle to learning rather than an aid.

First, the type of response that can be accepted by the 
system can be T/F, Multiple choice (A,B,C,D), numeric 
(0-9) and even possibly numbers higher than 9, by 
combining multiple responses in a single answer. It just 
depends on the number of buttons on the remote and the 
sophistication of the software. It would be difficult on 
the other hand to have any kind of word or sentence 
response.

Secondly, the pedagogic value. I don't see this as a 
replacement for the paper/pencil tests that I use at the 
end of a unit. The most important use for this type of 
technology is as a formative assessment tool. Formative 
assessment means you assess student understanding 
throughout the learning process, not just at the end. For 
instance, A final test would be a summative assessment. An 
assignment or quiz would be more formative, but you are 
still assessing after the learning has (supposedly) taken 
place.

There are multiple ways to do formative assessment. You 
can have kids raise their hands. The problem with this 
method is  that it is not anonymous. If 30 of your 36 
students have no idea what the answer is but they have a 
good idea who the smart kids in class are, then they 
simply vote with the smart kid and you get a very poor 
assessment of the what general understanding of the class 
is.

You can also use small individual white boards or 
chalkboards. These tend to be messy and/or smelly, but can 
be quite effective. You gain some anonymity as long as all 
the boards are face up or face front most of the time, 
which they naturally would be. You can get more 
sophisticated responses from this type of system, but it 
is very difficult to incorporate into a grading system, 
and so the level of effort is naturally low. (They know 
you can't grade them during the 5 to 10 seconds you spend 
surveying the answers, and if you spend more time than 
that then you might as well have them hand it in on paper)

The ideal system preserves anonymity by making it 
difficult for students to know what others have answered, 
is quick enough to use in the middle of a lecture or 
demonstration without breaking the flow of the lesson, 
gives instant feedback to students and teacher about the 
general level of understanding, and is easily scored, so 
that the students know they are accountable for their 
responses. The point is to get a quick but authentic check 
for understanding before moving on to the next topic, so 
that you can clear up misunderstandings immediately. The 
IR response devices come close to being an ideal system. 
The biggest limitation is that the type of responses is 
limited to small numbers or multiple choice, T/F type 
answers. This is not too big a deal if you craft your 
questions well.

Bryan