Using clickers to improve student participation in class Bontle Monnanyane, Mhakamuni Khoza, Mkhonto van Zyl, Isaiah Ramaoka Presented at Moodlemoot Edinburgh 2014 www.moodlemoot.ie

1. Moodlemoot: 14th to 16th April 2014
Edinburgh, Scotland
Bontle Monnanyane, Mhakamuni Khoza, Mkhonto van Zyl, Isaiah Ramaoka
A_monn@ma2.sun.ac.za lindiwe.khoza@ma2.sun.ac.za, gerhard@ma2.sun.ac.za isaiah.ramaoka@ma2.sun.ac.za
Faculty of Military Science, Military Academy, South Africa
USING CLICKERS TO IMPROVE STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN CLASS

2.  Student underpreparedness is documented as the dominant learning-related
cause of the poor performance patterns in higher education (CHE, 2013).
 The task team further found that under 5% of black and coloured students
succeed in any form of higher education.
 Lack of exposure to spoken and written language, lack of financial resources,
socio-cultural backgrounds and educational background from under-resourced
and low-performing schools contribute to students’ under-preparedness (Scott,
Yeld & Hendry, 2007 ).
 Students are returned their units after six months if their progress does
not meet the requirements.
INTRODUCTION

3.  One way of supporting underprepared students in the mainstream, would be to
engage students in active learning (CWSEI, 2009) through discussion.
 Students are less inclined to participate voluntarily in class through cold calling
(calling students whose hands are raised).
 Lecturing staff observe that most students wait for their peers to raise their
hands first when asked questions in class.
 Stagg and Lane (2010) are of the opinion that lack of competency in language
inhibiting students’ active participation in class.
 Since 80% of the student body in this institution is from non-speaking English
backgrounds, such barriers possibly limit their active participation in class and
thus their performance.
 Students have unique stress in education academic setting that creates barriers
to communication (Makoe, 2006).
INTRODUCTION

4.  To what extent does the use of Clickers improve student participation in class?
RESEARCH PROBLEM

5.  To measure impact of rapid collection of answers to a questions from
individual students,
 To identify students’ level of understanding against lesson outcomes,
 To compare students’ performance before and after using Clickers.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

6.  Sample: 2nd year students (Residential and distance education students).
 Survey done to determine student accessibility to technology using clickers.
 Clicker used for the following: Surveys
Test student understanding of concepts
General Participation
METHODOLOGY

7.  Easy to use and accessible.
 All students respond instead of just a few who would normally dominate debate
in class.
 Both residential students and distance education can participate as soon as the
question is posed.
 Manage to reach all students.
 Anonymity makes it easy for students to comment without fear.
 Group Participation: allow individual input from the group.
 Information sharing amongst students: Response when sharing motivates
participation.
FINDINGS: ADVANTAGES

8.  Tracking participation is difficult: some students do not always respond.
FINDINGS: DISADVANTAGES

17.  Anonymous participation improves student active participation in class.
 It enables me as a lecturer to make adjustment to what and how to teach, while
preparing students to learn.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE