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Schools use ‘clickers’ to boost student attention, participation

Cameron Calhoun, a freshman at the University of Dayton, uses an i-clicker to answer a question Nov. 30 while taking a chemistry class taught by Kimberly Trick.

Ron Alvey Cameron Calhoun, a freshman at the University of Dayton, uses an i-clicker to answer a question Nov. 30 while taking a chemistry class taught by Kimberly Trick.

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By Christopher Magan, Staff Writer Updated 10:27 PM Sunday, December 5, 2010

DAYTON — Area universities are turning to new technology with the hope of improving student learning and providing instant classroom feedback.

Handheld electronic “clickers” are a growing trend in higher education, allowing instructors to poll and quiz students during lectures.

“Anyone doing a presentation that has a need for interaction can use it,” said Ryan F. Allen, senior e-learning specialist with University of Dayton. “It is really nice to feel out an audience. It also gives real-time feedback to students, whether they know the information or not.”

That’s the reason Kimberly Trick has used the devices, which are about the size of a television remote with fewer buttons, for the last four years.

“I use it to get more students involved,” said Trick, a UD chemistry professor, who added that students using the devices are more focused and less likely to send text messages or fall asleep during class. UD students use the “clickers” in science, engineering and other technical classes; every student in the business school is now required to purchase one.

“I think they are pretty cool,” said Nick Colarosa, a UD freshman from Pittsburgh. “It highlights problems the class is having so the professor can address them better.”

Several companies manufacture the “clickers,” which vary in price and complexity, according to Ricardo Maduro, Miami University classroom technology support. Miami students have bought nearly 12,000 “clickers” in the past four years. They are used heavily in the school’s 25 largest courses.

Professors not only can poll students, but also can give quizzes and tests, with the results uploaded to an online database called “grade book.”

“It integrates very well with learning management software,” Maduro said. “Stuff can be in the grade book before the kids are in the hallway.”

Various forms of “clickers” have been used in schools for years, but the latest batch of devices are increasingly high-tech and indicate where education technology is heading, Allen said.

What’s more, the programs that run the devices are migrating to smart phones, making the technology more accessible for students.

“Students are driving the trends on campus,” Allen said.

Clickers at a glance

Thousands of students at area universities are now using handheld clickers to answer polls and quizzes while attending lectures. The devices are sold at student book stores and cost between $30 and $60, depending on the style. Some schools such as the University of Dayton’s business college are requiring all incoming freshmen to buy these devices.

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