Make clickers work for you: Engagement and assessment in K12 classrooms

Make clickers work for you...
Promoting engagement
& formative assessment In K12 classrooms

There are handouts
for this session that
may be helpfulat
theactiveclass.com

THERE IS A POLL
OPEN. Do you see
it? If not, select
Dr. Stephanie V. Chasteen “polling” from the
Physics Department & Science Ed. Initiative dropdown menu on
University of Colorado – Boulder your toolbar.
http://blog.sciencegeekgirl.com
Stephanie.Chasteen@colorado.edu Technical
Difficulties?
Contact 1-866-229-
3239
Sponsored by i>clicker
Image: ehow.
Make Clickers Work for You, Dr. Stephanie Chasteen (CU-
Boulder). Sponsored by i>clicker

Introducing Me
2

Science Education Initiative
ttp://colorado.edu/SEI
Applying scientific principles to improve science education – What are
students learning, and which instructional approaches improve learning?

Physics Education Research Group
http://PER.colorado.edu
One of largest PER groups in nation, studying technology, attitudes,
classroom practice, & institutional change.

Blogger & Consultant
tp://sciencegeekgirl.com

U. Colorado clicker resources…
3

Videos of http://STEMvideos.co
effective use of
clickers lorado.edu
2-5 mins long

Clicker resource
page
http://STEMclickers.
colorado.edu
• Instructor’s Guide
• Question banks
• Workshops
• Literature / Articles

And thanks to our sponsors today…

The Active Class is a multi-author blog that
provides a forum for educators to
exchange ideas about teaching and
learning with technology. Visit us at
www.theactiveclass.com.

Agenda

1. Why use clickers?
2. How can clickers be used as engagement, not
just quizzing?
3. What makes a good question?
4. How do we facilitate student discussions?

Note: This webinar is technology agnostic
There are handouts for this session that may be
helpful attheactiveclass.com

5

Why would we want to use clickers to ask questions?
8

 Same goals as non-clicker questions
 Multiple choice
 Anonymous (to peers)
 Every student has a voice
 Students are accountable for
answers
In other words:
 Forced wait time What does this tool
 Histogram gives instant feedback help us to do?


Clickers are a tool for questioning
10

But not a magic bullet!

What clicker pedagogy might help student learning?


A tested pedagogy: Peer Instruction
11

Ask Question
…Lecture… (vote on own

Class Discussion Peer Discussi

Vote
* See also: Peer Instruction, A

1. Ask Question
12

• Several times per lecture
• Challenging, meaningful questions
•Based on learning goals
• Based on common student difficulties
12

2. Peer Discussion
13

• Students learn more deeply by
teaching each other
• Makes them articulate answer
BUT
Instructor must encourage discussion

3. Vote
14

•Allow enough time
•But not so much that students get off track


4. Wrap-Up Discussion
15

•Askstudents to defend their answers
• Hear from multiple students
• Emphasize reasoning


QUESTION BREAK
16

Ask Question
…Lecture… (Maybe vote)

Class Discussion Peer Discussion

Vote


When can we ask questions?
18
BEFORE
tting up instruction DURING
Motivate Developing
knowledge
Discover
Predict outcome Check knowled
Provoke thinking Application
Analysis
Assess prior knowledge
Evaluation
Synthesis
AFTER Relate to bigExercise skil
picture
Assessing Demonstrate success miscon
Elicit
learning
Review or recap
Exit poll
Credit: Rosie Pille

Which of these could be clicker questions?
19
BEFORE
Motivate Developing
knowledge
Discover
Analysis
Evaluation
Synthesis
picture
Elicit
learning
Review or recap
Exit poll

Let’s try it

Which superpower would you
rather have? The ability to…

A. Change the mass of things
B. Change the charge of things
C. Change the magnetization of things
D. Change the boiling point of things
This is an example of a “no one right answer” question. What
is the goal? How “deep” is this question?
Question: Ian Beatty, UMass-Am
20 Image: Thibault fr on Wikime

A biology example: Concepts and misconceptions

A small acorn over time can grow
into a huge oak tree. The tree
can weigh many tons. Where
does most of the mass come from
as the tree grows?

A)Minerals in the soil
B)Organic matter in the soil
C)Gases in the air
D)Sunlight
21

Example question: Ethics

If you were a judge, how would you assess the
“responsibility” of the U.S. Government, for what
happened in the world between 1933 and 1945?

A. Not responsible
B. Minimally responsible
C. Responsible
D. Very responsible

Origin unknown 22

Mathematics calculation
23

If Leah is 6 years older than Sue, and
John is 5 years older than Leah,
and the total of all three of their
ages is 41, how old is Sue?
A. 8
B. 10
C. 14
D. 19
What is the goal?
E. 21 How “deep” is this question?


What kinds of questions are “good”?

 It has to be something they want to discuss
 Use questions with a diversity of
 Instructional goals (before / during / after)
 Bloom’s levels

 Based on common difficulties (distractors!)
 Focused on key learning goals

How might you find such

Some question strategies to consider

 Use a series of questions Rather than a set of one-offs.
 Use real-life scenarios and current events for surveys
To keep lessons fresh and relevant
 Ask predictive questions
So students have a chance to weigh in first. More important for
understanding than recall questions, but used less often
 Use images in question choices
To give students a chance to connect words and visual/graphic
 Pose summarizing questions
To get students thinking about effects. Pose a series of outcomes
and vote on consequences
Sidney-Eve Matrix on t

Let’s focus on question goals
27
BEFORE
Motivate Developing
knowledge
Discover
Analysis
Evaluation
Synthesis
picture
Elicit
learning
Review or recap
Exit poll

Goal: To motivate a lesson / demonstrate a principle
28

One of you will be randomly selected to be a winner!
Pick one:
A. You can receive $1.00 (cash) right now
B. You can receive $1.05 (cash) during the next
meeting of this class

Results: 66% of
class took $1 now
(but 33% if $1 on
next to last day of
class instead of
mesIII at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnnP0uCqD4k
last day of class)

Goal: Application of a principle

Play students the “Jaws” theme after a break.
Is your reaction an example of operant or classical
conditioning? Discuss with your neighbor.
(A) Yes (B) No (C) It depends

29

Goal: Connect images to text
30

La filleporte (the girl is
wearing)
A. Un chapeau (a hat)
B. Des lunettes (glasses)
C. Unecasquette(a cap)
D. Un manteau(a coat)
E. Plus qu’un /
quelquechosed’autre(m
ore than one/ Tabetha Huth

something else)
30


Goal: Use visual representations / apply idea
31

You look to the eastern horizon as the Moon is rising and
discover that it is in the new moon phase. Later that same
day when the moon is setting, which of the moon phases
shown below would the Moon have looked like?

Center for Astronomy Education, Ed P

Goal: Motivate a lesson

Demonstration predictions.
For example, show that a light bulb lights
up when it’s connected to a power
source through a weak acid.
What will happen if I use a 100% acid
solution?
(A) Brighter (B) Dimmer

ends up being opposite of what y
32

Goal: Graphical analysis

The pie graph shows the energy of the
Skater, where could she be on the track?
KE
33

A

B
C
DE
PE
thy Perkins, CU Boulder 33

Goal: Apply principle / emphasize reasons

Is the following a run-on sentence?
“The sly fox sometimes jumped over the lazy dog unless it
was Thursday.”

A. Yes
B. No
C. Not sure

What is the goal?
How “deep” is this question?

Origin unknown 34

Those are question goals

 We also want questions at a variety of levels of depth


A way to think about question depth:
Bloom’s Taxonomy
36

Classificati
on of Higher order
cognitive
levels
--------------

Lower order

Do the questions you use intellectually
challenge your students or simply assess their
factual knowledge?

A possible question-writing strategy

1. Pick a goal. Preparing / Developing/ Assessing.
Let’s say I want to give my students a chance to try applying
some ideas we’ve been learning about pressure.
2. Look for verbs at the right level
I use the Bloom’s Taxonomy sheet to look for verbs at the right
level. In this case, “Apply” has the verbs, “choose,” “select,”
“sketch” or “predict.” I like “predict.”
3. Try writing a clear, targeted question.
Revise for wording. Consider common misconceptions.


CHAT
DISCUSSI What could possibly go wrong?
ON 39

What are some of the challenges in using clickers and peer
instruction? How might you overcome those challenges?

Ask Question


Vote

* See also: Peer Instruction, A User’s Manual.

Peer Discussion
46

• How to encourage student discussion?
• Circulate
• Give enough time
• Explain why you’re doing this
• Respect ideas in wrap-up

Wrap-Up Discussion
49

• How to create a respectful climate for discussion?
•Consider whether to show the
histogram immediately
• Ask multiple students to defend their answers
• Why are wrong answers wrong and why right answer is right


TheMessage:
The answer is NOT
important.
The strategy for
getting the answer is
the goal.
The student must be convinced that
understanding strategies = high exam score.

50

More “how to” tips…
51

tp://STEMvideos.colorado.edu

Tips for success
52

Explain whyyou’re using clickers
Use them frequently
Ask questions at a variety of levels of difficulty
Encourage discussion and listen to students
Emphasize reasoning
Use a variety of techniques and goals
Start small

Handout: Tips for
Success


To Learn More…
53

This short webinar can’t do it all….

 Watch classes taught by expert users
 Find mentors, and form user groups
 Videos at http://STEMvideos.colorado.edu
 There are lots of great books
 Teaching with Classroom Response Systems (Derek Bruff)
 Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)
 Clickers in the Classroom (Douglas Duncan)
 Clickers in Chemistry (Margaret Asirvatham)


Thank you!

 Clickers resource page (videos, question banks,
workshops): http://STEMclickers.colorado.edu
 Web and blog: http://sciencegeekgirl.com
 The Active Class blog: http://theactiveclass.com.
 Email: stephanie@sciencegeekgirl.com

Upcoming travel to: SF Bay Area, LA, W.
Virginia U., Pittsburgh, Chicago

Look for the Make Clickers Work for You session recording, and
announcements of future webinars at
theactiveclass.comor our twitter stream @iclickerclique


Clickers can be used in ways that align with How
People Learn

1. Motivation is essential for student learning

OR

Handout 4:
How People Learn

People Learn

2. People learn by actively constructing their own
understanding.

i.e., not this….

So, this
webinar Handout 4:
isn’t How People Learn
enough! Boulder). Sponsored by i>clicker

People Learn

understanding.
3. People learn by building on what they already know.

Fish is Fish
L. Lionni
Dragonfly Handout 4:
Books How People Learn

People Learn

understanding.
3. People learn by building on what they already know.

4. People have a finite cognitive
load

“Mr. Osbourne,
may I be
Handout 4:
excused? My
(c) Gary Larson, The Far Side People Learn
How
Make Clickers Work for You,is Stephanie ”
brain Dr. by i>clicker
full. Chasteen (CU-
Boulder). Sponsored

tradition the traditional way?
How much do students60
learn Basic physics
force concept
al survey

lecture
Take home message:
Students learn less than 25%
of the most basic concepts
(that they don’t already
know).

0.25 0.50
Learned less Learned
Fraction learned
more
R. Hake, ”…A six-thousand-student survey…” AJP 66, 64-74 (‘98).

But by actively
engaging
students...
based on what they
know....

61

tradition
interactive
al
engagement
lecture

Clickers only
(at CU)

Clickers and
more (at CU)

0.25 0.50
Learned less Learned more
Fraction learned
62

Peer discussion: The research

Students answer a clicker
question individually
Students talk to neighbors
and answer the same
clicker question again
Before discussion After discussion

Are
students
A B C A B C
learning?
Just Just OR
Mazur, 1997
guessing Not quite guessing
Not quite sure Are they
sure fp.prenhall.com/bigcovers/0
http://vig-
Make Clickers Work for You, Dr. Stephanie being
Chasteen (CU-
Pretty sure Sponsored by i>clicker
135654416.jpg
Boulder).

Are they learning from peers?

Students answer Q1
individually. 100
100
90

80

Percent
80

Students talk to 70

60
60

Percent
neighbors 50
Q1
Q1a
Q2

and answer Q1 again 40
40
30

(Q1AD = Q1“After 20
20
10

Discussion”). 0
0

Q1 Q1A Q2
Q1 Q1a Q2

Students answer Q2 Individ Indiv
individually . ual D idual
Aftern= 350
Q2 tests same concept Discuss
students
as Q1. ion
CU Faculty
Then explain answers More research at
Researchers:
to Q1 and Q2 Tin Tin Su (CU
STEMclickers.colorado.edu
Smith et al., Science.
MCDB Dept)
Make Clickers Work for You, Dr. Stephanie323(5910):122.
2009, Chasteen (CU-
Boulder). Michelle Smith
Sponsored by i>clicker

Example questions

Consider…
1. Mechanics
2. Depth
3. Goals

How might some of
these examples Handout 6:
inform your own 75
TEFA question examples

question writing?i>clicker
Boulder). Sponsored by

A question idea:
In-class experiment
76

One of you will be randomly selected to be a winner!
Pick one:
A. You can receive $1.00 (cash) right now
B. You can receive $1.05 (cash) during the next
meeting of this class

Results: 66% of
class took $1 now
(but 33% if $1 on
next to last day of
class instead of
mesIII at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnnP0uCqD4k
last day of class)

A question idea: Are you done?
77

During a group or individual task:

Click in with your progress:
A. Still working
B. Almost done
C. Finished


A question idea:
Real-time confusion meter
78

A. I’m bored – speed up
B. I’m with you
C. Slow down a little
D. I’m totally lost


A question idea:
Poll or opinion survey
79

If you saw a piece of trash in the street, would you pick
it up?
A. Yes
B. No
C. It depends


Example question:
Application of a principle

Play students the “Jaws” theme after a break.
Is your reaction an example of operant or classical
conditioning? Discuss with your neighbor.
(A) Yes (B) No (C) It depends

Consider…
1. Mechanics
2. Depth
3. Goals
80

Example question:
Using visual representations
81

You look to the eastern horizon as the Moon is rising and
discover that it is in the new moon phase. Later that same
day when the moon is setting, which of the moon phases
shown below would the Moon have looked like?

Consider…
1. Mechanics
2. Depth
3. Goals

Center for Astronomy Education, Ed P

Example question:
Demonstration prediction

Demonstration predictions.
For example, show that a light bulb lights up
when it’s connected to a power source through a
weak acid.
What will happen if I use a 100% acid solution?
(A) Brighter (B) Dimmer
Consider…
1. Mechanics
2. Depth
3. Goals
ends up being opposite of what y
82

Example question:
Analyze graph

The pie graph shows the energy of the
Skater, where could she be on the track?
KE
83

A

B
C
DE
PE
thy Perkins, CU Boulder 83

Example question:
Reinforce vocabulary
84

La filleporte (the girl is
wearing)
A. Un chapeau (a hat)
B. Des lunettes (glasses)
C. Unecasquette(a cap)
D. Un manteau(a coat)
E. Plus qu’un /
quelquechosed’autre(m
ore than one/ Tabetha Huth

something else)
84


Peer Discussion
85

Ask Question


Vote


What decisions do you have?
Public
PI Solution
Voting Discussion
Stage
100%
Percen

Questi

90%
80%
t of

70%
ons

60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Leaves Stage Answers Student Discusses with Wrong Answer(s) Student
Questions Students Discussed Explanation(s)
heard

C. Turpen and N.D. Finkelstein, “Not all interactive engagement is the
same: Variations in Physics professors’ implementation of Peer
Instruction.” Phys. Rev. ST Physics Ed. Research 5, 020101.

Peer discussions
87

What are the practices that the instructor can
change during peer discussion?

•Allow plenty of time
for discussion
•Encourage discussion
•Circulate classroom
(to listen in) Handout 7:
Discussion
Peer


Whole Class Discussion
88

Ask Question


Vote


Whole-class Discussion
89

What are the practices that the instructor can
change during whole class discussion?

•Do not reveal the answer
immediately
•Hide the histogram until
after discussion
•Hear arguments from
students (more than
one!)

Giving the answer stops student thinking!

90

More “how to” tips…
91

tp://STEMvideos.colorado.edu

Tips for success
92

Explain whyyou’re using clickers
Use them frequently
Ask questions at a variety of levels of difficulty
Encourage discussion and listen to students
Emphasize reasoning
Use a variety of techniques and goals
Start small

Handout 1: Tips
for Success

To Learn More…
93

This short webinar can’t do it all….

 Watch classes taught by expert users
 Find mentors, and form user groups
 Videos at http://STEMvideos.colorado.edu
 There are lots of great books
 Teaching with Classroom Response Systems (Derek Bruff)
 Peer Instruction (Eric Mazur)
 Clickers in the Classroom (Douglas Duncan)
 Clickers in Chemistry (Margaret Asirvatham)


Make clickers work for you: Engagement and assessment in K12 classrooms

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