What Are Classroom Clickers?
Classroom clickers or student response systems have become high-demand classroom tools in schools, universities, and training programs across the country.
While the way in which "clickers" are incorporated may look different - involving mobile technologies such as smartphones, iPads, Android tablets, or Chromebooks - the premise is the same as it was 10 years ago.
Know what your students know...instantly.
Research on clicker technology has proven that student response systems, in whatever form they may take, are not a trend or a fad. Instead, they are a true instructional technology that can change instruction and impact student learning.
How Do Classroom Clickers Work?
Each student has a wireless handheld response pad, or clicker, with which they are able to answer questions posed by the teacher. This "clicker" may even be built into apps like MimioMobile and contained in a device like a smartphone, iPad or Android tablet, Chromebook or laptop.
The teacher poses a question verbally, with a written assessment, or through the computer onto a projector or television screen, and the students respond with their classroom clicker.
The adjacent video shows MimioVote, a hardware clicker, in action.
The Impact of Clicker Technology on Student Learning
Awesome Classroom Clicker Ideas
Classroom clickers make grading of both formative and summative assessments a snap, and the ability to pose verbal questions and receive immediate feedback from students allows the instructor to change the dynamics of what might be an otherwise tiresome lecture period.
There are so many creative ideas that you can implement with clickers that will engage and motivate your students! Liven up lectures, uncover misconceptions, create competitive games...the list goes on and on.
In addition to our Classroom Clickers board on Pinterest (look right), we've put together a list of some clicker ideas you might not have thought about...
I am not overstating anything when I say these are the most powerful pedagogical tool I have seen in 40 years of teaching. NO kid can remain passive. They must participate (anonymously to their peers but not to me) and I should take a picture of the kids' faces when we are going over the questions and they are participating and competing!
-- Gary Schlapfer, Former Science Teacher, Elkhorn, NE