Using Clickers to Teach Critical Thinking

Randy J. Malta, Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Teaching & Learning

St. Louis Community College - Forest ParkPresentation available at: http://x2t.com/rmalta

Session Description

• This interactive presentation demonstrates the use of classroom response systems courses to enhance and stimulate critical thinking.

• Explore and learn if clickers can be used in your class.• Presentation available at http://x2t.com/rmalta

St. Louis Community College

• Founded in 1963• 29,000+ Credit students Spring 2011• 4 campuses strategically located throughout the St. Louis, Missouri

Metropolitan area.– In the very north Florissant Valley location, – to the city's central corridor at Forest Park, – to the southwest area of the county at the Meramec campus,– to the burgeoning West County area our Wildwood campus -Opened

August 2007• 2 Education Centers and Corporate College Center

449 Full Time Faculty + 1,480 Adjunct Faculty district- wide

Clickers – Audience Response Systems

• Radio frequency technology

• Two-way verification – Green Light

• Supports 1000 students per receiver

• Range – 200’ radius

3.3”

2.1”3.7”

ResponseCard® RF

Response Cards

To change the channel:

Press “Ch”, the new channel number, then “Ch” again.

Ex: To change to channel 45:

“Ch”, 4, 5, “Ch”

When it receives the new channel, the light will turn Green.

What is in a name?

Audience Response Systems (ARS)Personal Response Systems (PRS)Student Response Systems (SRS)

Clickers

Clickers• Provide a tool to engage students and assess

knowledge.• Instructors are able to ask objective and subjective

questions. Questions may come from the instructor or as part of a publisher’s textbook package.

• Questions are displayed for each student to view and respond to with a remote control device.

• A receiver picks up the student’s response and sends it to software loaded on a computer, providing instant feedback to instructor and student.

Critical Thinking • Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and

skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.

A DefinitionCritical thinking is that mode of thinking - about any subject, content, orproblem - in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinkingby skillfully taking charge of the structures inherent in thinking andimposing intellectual standards upon them.

- National Council on Critical Thinking

Basic Uses• Review of content during class• Access level of understanding• Review for test• Review after test to clear up points• Decrease fear of responses – anonymous• Active learning • Engage students

Clicker Advantages • Engaging multiple learning styles • Aural• Visual• Logical• Physical• Verbal• Social

Clicker Advantages• Engaging multiple

learning styles • Increasing visual

impact • Improving audience

focus • Providing annotations

and highlights

• Analyzing and synthesizing complexities

• Increasing spontaneity and interactivity

• Increasing wonder

Resource• Table of Contents• Chapter 1 – Engaging Students with Clickers • Generating Classwide Discussions• Generating Small-Group Discussions• Creating Times for Telling• Structuring Class Time• Making Class More Fun• Chapter 2 – Assessing Students with Clickers • Uncovering Student Learning• Evaluating Student Learning• Chapter 3 – A Taxonomy of Clicker Questions

Content Questions• Process Questions• Chapter 4 – Teaching Choices • Use of Class Time• Writing Questions• Student Response, Participation, and Grading• Classroom Choices• Small Classes• Chapter 5 – Technical and Logistical Choices • Technical Challenges• Vendor Selection and Adoption• Supporting and Promoting the Use of Clickers• Low-Tech Options• High-Tech Options• Chapter 6 – Why Use Clickers? • Increased Student Participation• Increased Student Engagement• Frequent Feedback on Student Learning• Final Suggestions

Derek Bruff,Acting Director,Vanderbilt Center forTeaching

Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning

Environments Jossey-Bass, 2009

• “If an instructor uses clickers only to take attendance of give quizzes students often object to paying for a device just to make the instructors job easier. If, however an instructor uses the results of a clicker quiz to review the quiz with the students immediately after they take it, focusing on questions most missed by students and exploring popular incorrect answers, students see this as adding value to their learning experience and are more likely to see the clickers as useful.

• Derek Bruff, Acting Director of Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching from Inside Higher Ed

Best Practice - Start small

• Asking simple, information gathering or factual questions to begin

Currently Using Clickers?

1.Yes2.No

You are

0%0%0%0%

Administra... Faculty Instructio... Support St...

1. Administration2. Faculty3. Instructional

Designer4. Support Staff

I am from

14%

14%

14%14%

14%

14%

14%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1. Southeast2. Northeast3. Midwest4. South5. Southwest6. Northwest7. West

Best Practice - Anonymous• Build trust first

My age is

21-25 25-30

30-40 40-50

50-60 60-70

70+

0% 0% 0% 0%0%0%0%

1. 21-252. 25-303. 30-404. 40-505. 50-606. 60-707. 70+

Desire to have more classroom interaction/engagement while still achieving the Learning Outcomes

0%

0%

0%1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe

Best Practice - # of Questions

• Most Instructors use–Four to six discussion questions per

class.

Question Asked First

Small Group Discussion First

Depending on Answer use both.

Click It and Learn It

New Blooms Taxonomy

• Remember -can the student recall or remember the information?

• Understand-can the student explain ideas or concepts?• Apply-can the student use the information in a new way?• Analyze-can the student distinguish between the different

parts?• Evaluate-can the student justify a stand or decision?• Create-can the student create new product or point of

view?

Survey

Background Information

• Survey issued at the end of F10 semester to 39 nursing students. 44 were currently enrolled, 5 were absent on day of survey

• Survey questions adopted from http://conferences.anzmac.org/ANZMAC2007/papers/D%20Lincoln_1a.pdf and other .edu sites,

Revised and adapted for my particular class

Student NarrativesMost Helpful

• “Being able to answer the question independently without people answering out loud”

• “It gave an opportunity to stop and answer questions about what we just covered and we could discuss w/classmates about the rationale”

• “It gives you a good idea what you need to study more if you have trouble, was a lot more enjoyable class (all instructors should use)”

• “I stayed focused and looked forward to coming to class. It helps break up the time and keep me thinking during lecture because I’m anticipating a question”

• “NCLEX Style Questions”

Student NarrativesMost Helpful

• “It was an interactive way to review the material”• “It made you pay attention”• “It was helpful to be able to answer questions and participate

anonymously”• “Seeing sample questions pertaining to the present topic and

the instructor did not know who you are in the class”• “Helped me determine right away if I was understanding a

concept & give me the opportunity to ask questions & clear things up right away”

• “Seeing that I was not the only student confused! Anonymity!!”

Student NarrativesLeast Helpful

• “I do not like when the question session (for one question) takes an unnecessary amount of time. (for people to answer).

• “Nothing, this was an awesome lecture b/c of the clickers. I feel I could have done better with the other material if the clickers were used!!”

• “Question like “So far, does this topic clear?” If I read the book before the class, I might have a couple of questions, but it should be quite cleared”

• “It took up some time to get all the answers & discuss it”• “Computer issues”• “Having to go get it ”

Types of Questions

Types of Questions

• Misconception Questions

Your sister calls to say she’s having twins. Which of the following is more likely?

100%

1

1. Twin Boys2. Twin Girls3. One boy and one

girl4. All are equally likely

Image: “IMG_9936e2,” Abby Bischoff, Flickr (CC)

Types of Questions

• Variable Relation Questions

Clicker Resources• Turning Technologies• Eclicker• Poll Everywhere• http://its.uiowa.edu/support/srs/post_conference.shtml• http://www.wku.edu/teaching/booklets/clickers.html• http://chronicle.com/blogs/techtherapy/2011/12/07/episode-90-growing-

pains-for-%E2%80%98clickers%E2%80%99/

Presentation available athttp://x2t.com/rmalta

Presentation available athttp://x2t.com/rmalta