The Teaching, Learning and Technology Committee have been working on the development of the iClicker - not an Apple product - to enhance digital communication in the classroom.
"One of our projects for this year is to decide on a university-supported student response system," said Debra Brum, vice president and chief information officer for I&IT.
Students use the iClicker to take attendance and exams, and respond to presentations on Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint programs. The focus is on teaching, not the technology - meaning students and faculty can communicate more efficiently and quickly with the aid of this clicker.
"I think the iClicker's really cool because it's a fun way to interact with other students," said Ivee Yu, a fourth-year hotel and restaurant management student. "I felt like I was on a game show."
Students can analyze their exam performances by accessing exam statistics via iClicker. One function calculates the percentage of the frequency of answers.
"It definitely gave me practice for the [exams] because I was able to see where the class stands and areas that I need to work on," said Yu. "I can also get a sense of what topics students are concerned with."
An educational program called Cal Poly Learning ensures technological upgrades for students on campus. Cal Poly Learning evaluates and adopts innovative technology tools that are thought to enhance student learning.
Hye Ok Park, interim director of Information & Instructional Technology Learning, has hosted many workshops on moving the classroom to online capability, hoping to move the classroom to a more virtual realm.
The implementation of a clicker system was first introduced at the 2007 Fall Conference in a joint presentation by Alex Rudolph, associate professor of physics, and Gil Brum, associate professor of biology. "Fun with Clickers" highlighted creative uses of student response systems, such as iClickers, that promote effective teaching and engages students in interactive learning.
The presentation was part of a yearlong investigation of student response technology.
In spring 2007, the Teaching, Learning and Technology Committee recommended the university use a single clicker to be adopted as the campus standard.
For identity purposes, each student is assigned a number at the start of each course that will correspond to the answers they provide on exams. Professors can use these numbers to refer to students during exams or discussions.
The Faculty Center for Professional Development and I&IT Learning co-sponsored a faculty learning community for professors who wished to use the iClicker in their courses. The learning community focused on the effects of a student response system on interactive learning.
Members of the learning community met in December to discuss how the iClicker will be integrated within their courses and to develop and analyze a learning assessment.
They will meet again during spring quarter to share the results of the learning assessment and to provide general feedback about the iClicker.
The iClicker costs an estimated $35 and can be found at the bookstore. Many schools are on a similar technological trend.
Abilene Christian University in Texas announced Wednesday it would be handing out iPhones and touch iPods to incoming freshmen in the fall for similar purposes to that of the iClicker.
According to the ACU's Web site, freshmen will use either device to "receive homework alerts, answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors' offices, and check their meal and account balances."
Cal Poly is wary of the cost efficiency of doling out iPhones and touch iPods, according to Brum.
"I feel that we need to be prudent in adopting cutting-edge technology and pushing it to our student population with careful consideration," said Park in agreement. "It may very well be that ACU is not only purchasing these, but also absorbing on-going monthly costs for their freshmen."
Be the first to comment on this article!