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Session 6: Hardware Part III, Classroom Response

Electronic Response Systems, often called Classroom Performance Systems, are used to stimulate students in the classroom while decreasing the burden of being embarrassed to answer aloud.  Most of the ERS come in the form of ?clickers.?  The cordless remote-like device is provided by or for the student and the instructor matches each student?s device code in her grade book.  Any classroom activity, assignment, or exam that requires the student to respond using the ?clicker? will be at the instructor?s fingertips for grading.  The devices are normally inexpensive and very straightforward to use.  The students are assigned a number that will highlight on the screen, so they will know when their clicker answer is received by the ERS port. 

Research from the 1960s and 70s were not as forward in supporting that learning was improved by ERS.  However, as Judson and Sawada suggest, with the current boom of technology and students that are familiar with ?video games,? implementing these systems will further enhance the way students learn in the classroom.  Judson and Sawada also suggest that it isn?t the emergence of such a system that is remarkable, but the effects of the device in the classroom are what make the difference.  They make the argument that these devices could have an operant conditioning affect, which allow students to receive immediate feedback and promote them to further gauge what they know.  Judson and Sawada point out that this tool could also help the instructor pace the lecture, which is what I must admit, sounds the most appealing for my classroom.  While giving lectures, this tool would allow me to incorporate ?up to this point? questions, which will allow me to know whether more time is needed in specific areas.  Most teachers do not have much time to evaluate one-on-one with students, until the course examinations.  However, I believe that implementing such a tool would encourage teachers in my high school to seek out students whom are not where they should be, when they should be.  Much of the research done regarding ERS shows most of the affects on learning in science related courses.  After speaking with my own daughter, whom graduated from North Carolina State, she gave me her own opinion from experience with the ERS.  She said the ERS were used in Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics.  However, she most valued the ability to solve problems using the ?clickers.?  So, for the purposes of my classroom, I still think the ERS could be useful in a Computer Applications of digital media course.  I would support that they are probably very useful for measuring students? abilities to critically think and solve problems.  Judson and Sawada also found that the learning was only significantly beneficial when students were allowed to communicate with each other, which is another reason I would support the tool.  Student interaction is something high school students in my setting seem to lack.  When students who understand the material interact with others who don?t, I have noticed there is a tremendous amount of peer learning both ways.  The main affects of the ERS are vague from the research, but I think for my purpose I would be interested in using it for giving my tests.  I hope such a tool would reduce the risk of cheating and anxiety during testing.

Posted at 09:58PM Nov 06, 2006 by dwdixon in General  |  Comments[0]