Analysis of student surveys on the use of iClickers in their classes.

1. What do students really
think about clickers:
Survey results
Elizabeth Hodas
Director of Educational Technology and Media
Services
Harvey Mudd College

2. What are clickers?
Personal Response System
We chose the iClicker system, which the
Pomona Physics department was also using
Simple, easy to use, only 5 buttons for multiple
choice questions, on/off button
Radio frequency, not infrared
so doesn’t depend on line
of sight

3. Background
Pilot program in Spring 2010 with 3 faculty
Very successful so went into production mode in
Fall 2010 with 8 sets of 50 iclickers
Purchased an additional 3 sets for Spring 2011
for a total of 11 sets
Chemistry department liked them so much they
decided to require the freshman class to each
purchase their own iClicker for Fall 2011
semester.

4. Classes
Fall 2010 Spring 2011 Fall 2011
Biol 81 Biol 101 Chem 23D
Chem 23 Chem 23D Chem 23E
Chem 51 Chem 52 Chem 23S
CS 5 Engr 82 Chem 51
CS 42 Engr 85 Engr 59
Engr 11 Engr 85A Engr 82
Engr 82 Engr 106 History 82
Phys 111 Phys 24 Math 187/Engr 190C

5. Quantitative Questions
Did use of the technology increase:
Retention of course material
Reflection on course material
Your participation/engagement in the course
Overall performance in course
Likert scale from Strongly Agree to Strongly
Disagree

6. Results: Fall 2010

7. Results: Spring 2011

8. Results: Fall 2011

9. Qualitative Questions
What did you like about using this technology?
Was there something that could have been
improved? Do you have suggestions for other
ways this technology could be used in the
classroom?
Analyzed this data by looking for common
themes in the responses.

10. Fall 2010: Themes from what do you like about the iClickers: 210
responses
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

11. Spring 2011: Themes from what do you like about the iClickers:
132 responses
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

12. Fall 2011: Themes from what do you like about the iClickers: 150
responses
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

13. Themes from what do you like about the iClickers
70
60
50
40
30
20
Fall 2010
10 Spring 2011
Fall 2011
0

14. Quotes
It provides an anonymous way of checking your
understanding compared to that of the other
students in your class; and provides the
professor a way to determine what information is
easy and what might require more explanation
before we understand it well enough to replicate
later.
The iClickers were fun to use both personally
and because everyone else was so engaged.
Near the end of Chem23D there was one time
that the entire class got a clicker question right
and we were so excited students took pictures
and I still have a copy somewhere I think.

15. Quotes cont’d
This was a great way to practice working on problems
or think about concept questions. Then, we can see
the distribution of choices that the entire class
has, and then discuss why each chosen answer is
correct or incorrect. Good way to get everyone
interactive.
It let me be engaged in the class and try answering
problems I would never have tried answering
otherwise without having to worry if I know the right
answer.
I thought iClickers were a great way to add variety to
the class format. They were lots of fun, easy to
use, and helped me to stay on track/not fall behind in
class. They help me to find out how well I understood
the material being covered.

16. Fall 2010: Was there something that could have been improved?
210 responses
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

17. Spring 2011: Was there something that could have been improved? 132
responses
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

18. Fall 2011: Was there something that could have been improved?
150 responses
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0

19. Themes from what you liked about the iClickers
70
60
50
40
30
20
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
10
Fall 2011
0

20. Quotes
The professor should have more questions scattered
throughout the class instead of concentrating them in
the front. That way, late students will still be counted
for attendance, and sleeping students might be
penalized.
Never ever ever ever ever should these clickers be
associated with grades in any way. Ever. Not even
once.
It wasn't that useful in CS5. We always had in class
quizzes but changing them to a multiple choice
format in order to use the clickers really wasn't
beneficial. They might be useful in other classes, but
not really with the format of this class.

21. Quotes cont’d
A lot of the questions weren't written in a way that
made sense for the iclicker.
I liked in CHEM23S with Professor Maloney when
she would ask a "how are you feeling?" question, with
answers that ranged from "great! let's move on!" to "I
am totally lost, what just happened again?". This was
a great way to gauge how the class was doing as a
whole, and to better pace the next material.
I had a problem with the fact that each student
needed to spend $50 on the "newest" model of
IClicker this year when I've heard that in previous
years CIS provided the older models for free.