After years of teaching, a biology professor naturally began to think of his students as subjects. If only he could monitor their brain activity, he thought, so he could see how to better stimulate learning. Perhaps connect them to neuro-imaging software?
While his motives were admirable, his methods will likely remain fictional—especially since faculty can get similar results using quick-response systems.
QR systems—prosaically called clickers—let faculty measure attendance, of course, but also pre- and post-lesson understanding. The anonymity of clickers is an antidote for student shyness, the immediate feedback allows faculty to probe for misunderstandings, and students seem to enjoy them: “It’s a lot of fun,” WSU Professor Dee Posey told faculty members at Tuesday’s WSU Technology Test Kitchen workshop on QR systems. “Like a game show.”
Posey uses clickers in a challenging environment: She teaches statistics to psychology majors in classes that average 150 students. The devices let her hear from all of them at once, then focus on what they need to know. “You can watch as students converge on the correct answer,” she said. “When the entire class gets it right, everyone cheers.”
Faculty interested in trying out clickers—or more robust QR systems, such as Poll Everywhere, Top Hat and Socrative—are invited to stop by the Tech Test Kitchen for open labs both today and tomorrow. Today’s sessions are an hour long and start at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tomorrow’s session is 2-4 p.m. All sessions are in the AMS offices at WSU Pullman’s Holland Library. No registration is required.
The Technology Test Kitchen is offered by WSU Global Campus and the Provost’s Office. It focuses on different educational technologies each week, and runs through May 1.
