Clickers: What are

they? How can I

use them?
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES CENTER

What are clickers?

Clickers are the common nickname for student
response systems.
These systems allow for:
Real-time classroom assessments and polling
Automated grading of quizzes
Avenue for a classroom back-channel to assess
comprehension and engagement
A way to break up a lecture and re-animate focus
A quick way to gain consensus

Student clickers:

cker system was invented by a physicist. Weve been using this system for the past 9 years, because of its
ker has a unique ID, which can be assigned to a particular student (in the case of purchased clickers).
clickers will cast unique votes, but they cannot be assigned to a student.

The instructor kit:

+
The instructor remote number needs
to be entered (once) in the clicker software.

The receiver attaches to the classroom

computer using a USB cable.

A flash drive containing the i>clicker software is included in the kit.

When should I use them?

Clickers are best used:
In mid- to large-sized classes (seminars and small
classes can use verbal feedback or hand-raising)
When comprehension of complex topics has proven to
be an issue in the past
When anonymity is desired
When quick feedback is needed
When auto-grading is expedient (requires creating
questions in the clicker software AND in a
presentation)

How do I get them? - borrowing

Clickers can be borrowed:
The ETC has several hundred clickers that can be
borrow for SINGLE CLASS SESSIONS (they must be
returned after each class)
Grading and clicker assignment is not possible with
borrowed clickers
Anonymous and impromptu voting is supported
The number of responses can be assessed, as can the
answers, however, individual responses cannot be
assigned to a particular student

How do I get them? - buying

Clickers can be purchased by students:
The clicker system we use is owned by an academic
publishing house, Macmillan
The clickers have an ISBN number, and can be
assigned as if they were a required reading using
the Blackboard Course Reading List tool
Students get the Labyrinth book discount on clickers
A Blackboard plugin allows students to register
clickers via Princetons Blackboard system
Clicker sessions can by tracked (and graded) by
student, since each clicker is linked to a students ID
in Blackboard

How do I use them?

oClickers have buttons labeled A-E, and support a variety of question types.
oQuestions can be true/false, multiple choice, opinion, voting, or any type of question that
can be posed with 5 or fewer answers.
oThe most effective use of clickers allows for post-question or post-assessment discussion
oShowing/hiding the votes as they are returned completely changes the dynamic of the
question. Difficult questions might be influenced by the herds answers.
oA clicker session is only as effective as the questions dont use them for trivial queries,
which students perceive as a waste of time.
oUsing clickers effectively takes TIME. Plan for it in your lecture. Handing them out, collecting
them, and allowing for discussion should all be part of your class plan.
oIf you ask student to purchase clickers, make sure you use them well plan for what
happens if a student forgets his/her clicker

Taking attendance is not the best use of clickers.

You might include attendance as a goal, but it is best to use a good question to achieve the
same result.

The Blackboard building block:

o Clickers need to be enabled by the instructor in Blackboard Course Tools in the Control
Panel
o In order to integrate clicker responses in the grade book, every instructor/administrator
who will upload clicker sessions needs to generate a SSO (single sign-on) Security Key in
the i>clicker tools.
oOne the i>clicker tools are enabled for the course, the students will see a place to register
a clicker in their Tools menu.
o The Instructor Report shows how many students have registered clickers, and allows
you to remind those who have not registered to do so.

Setting up the clickers (basic):

Install the software for your OS
Open the interface for i>clicker(.exe)

Setting up the clickers (basic):

Click on the Settings button
Create a new course
Set up the instructor remote

Setting up the clickers

(advanced Bb integration):
Select your LMS and version (8 and
above) in the i>clicker panel
Go to the Blackboard Help> How
To>Tools> iclicker section and
download the integration zip files for
your OS.
Save the Instructor Guide in a
convenient place
Copy the zipped integration files (4
for a PC, 3 for a Mac) into the
Resources folder of your copy of the
i>clicker software.

Setting up the clickers 2

(advanced Bb integration):
Open i>grader
Select your course name in i>grader
Select the right course name from the
list of all your Blackboard courses
Sync or import your course
gradebook with the i>grader software
Import your roster
Red names means the students have
not registered their clickers

Now for a quiz.

oTurn your clickers ON
oWait for the polling to begin
oConfirm that your vote was received by a green light on your clicker
o(notice the braille markings)

Test question:
How many answer buttons does your clicker have?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5

In which country lies Mount

Everest?
A. Pakistan
B. Bhutan
C. Cambodia
D. Nepal
E. Tibet

What is this pasta shape?

A. Conchigle
B. Farfalle
C. Fusili
D. Penne
E. Rigatoni

What is this pasta shape?

A. Penne
B. Rigatoni
C. Taglietelli
D. Fusilli
E. Ziti

What is this pasta shape?

A. Conchigle
B. Lasagne
C. Rigatoni
D. Strozzapreti
E. Tortellone

Who was the only president not

to live in the White House?
A. James Monroe
B. Andrew Johnson
C. James Buchanan
D. George Washington
E. James K. Polk