Electronic polling devices for lectures?

nobbo

From page 2 of the College of Science fresher student guide..

"The college of science will require all students to use individual electronic polling devices("clickers") during lectures in order to facilitate discussion and engagement."

Does anybody know anything more about this? And these are a new thing I presume since I didnt have 'em last year?

Ficheall

Link?

If there's any truth to it, it sounds like another stupid way to waste money the college doesn't have...

Nuggles

I'm curious too. Was on blackboard, the option to register my clicker.

I'm not a science student though.

RolandIRL

just saw on bb. presumably we'll hear about it in lectures or they'll send around an email.

TheCosmicFrog

Nuggles wrote: »

I'm curious too. Was on blackboard, the option to register my clicker.

I'm not a science student though.

Me too, IT student.

ciano1

What the hell is a clicker?? :O

challengemaster

whiteman19 wrote: »

just saw on bb. presumably we'll hear about it in lectures or they'll send around an email.

Where is it on blackboard? I'm not seeing it....

TheCosmicFrog

ciano1 wrote: »

What the hell is a clicker?? :O

Pffft... who knows. But you're a College of Engineering and Informatics student

RolandIRL

challengemaster wrote: »

Where is it on blackboard? I'm not seeing it....

just when i log in on the main page where my modules are. you can't miss it. mustn't be up for you.

challengemaster

whiteman19 wrote: »

just when i log in on the main page where my modules are. you can't miss it. mustn't be up for you.

Yeah, must not be. I've nothing showing up...

RolandIRL

top bit is what appears when i log in into bb. 2nd bit is what appears when i click on the link.
no info on what it is though.

challengemaster

I feel left out now

RolandIRL

awwww. do you want me to give you my student id no and password to see what the fuss is about?



please don't say yes cos i'm not going to :P

challengemaster

whiteman19 wrote: »

awwww. do you want me to give you my student id no and password to see what the fuss is about?



please don't say yes cos i'm not going to :P

Just because you were so nice to offer.....

:pac:

brozio7

These clicker things ain't cheap!
looks like they have been in use in the US for a while..

http://www.amazon.com/InterWrite-Personal-Response-System-Student/dp/B000QFMHKU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

TheCosmicFrog

Maybe they'll include it in the fees :pac:

Dman001

They are used for attendance and class tests.:eek: No thanks.

meeka

Looks like this might just be for incoming first year science students? No word of it on the online science handbooks for higher years, although I do see the registration thing on my blackboard.

KittyeeTrix

Dman001 wrote: »

They are used for attendance and class tests.:eek: No thanks.

Oh wow................that's gonna wreck the plans of many:D

Just checked my BB and nothing there yet but I haven't registered yet so that may be why!!

IainML

Gosh there's a lot of pre-semester anxiety about these clickers! Thought I might try to reassure you by telling you what it's about.

Clickers are, as one of the posters has pointed out, fairly extensively used in other institutions around the world with a large following in particular subject areas (eg Physics, in which many of the main textbooks even have 'clicker' questions supplied with them). They have been used for a number of years here in Galway in some classes/subjects and feedback has been very positive (eg Biochemistry 2nd and 3rd year, Maths, Marketing, Social Work, etc) They are simple little devices that look a bit like a remote control type thingie with options A-E.

The project in science is a new one. All first year students coming in this year will be issued with a clicker and these will be used in lectures and other classes as appropriate. They are known to have great educational value in that they allow time in the lecture to actually explore key ideas, have in-class discussions and help make the lectures themselves more interesting and interactive. They also help lecturers identify areas of difficulty students might have.

Hopefully, they won't, as a poster has commented, be 'a waste of money'. Also, students are not charged for them, but will pay a fully-refundable deposit in case they are lost or broken. So it's not coming off any fee.

This is something that wasn't available in first year previously so it will come as news to the second years, but rest assured that your colleagues who have used them in class gave very positive feedback and that's been an important factor in the decision of the College to expand their use.

So, in summary, its not been because the College decided to spend your money, electronically tag you, hold lots of in-class exams, etc, but genuinely because staff and students are looking to get more chance to discuss topics, engage with the subject, promote understanding of tricky concepts and make lectures more interactive.

So that's the rationale....

If you want to see some more info about clickers and how they've been used there are lots of interesting websites.

here's a slightly old video (our clickers are nicer than these!) http://www.elearning.ac.uk/innoprac/practitioner/resources/strathclyde.wmv

QueenOfLeon

Dman001 wrote: »

They are used for attendance and class tests.:eek: No thanks.

Visions of people walking into lectures with armloads of friends' clickers....:pac:

pinkygal

the 'Clickers' are e30.00. you pay this separate to your fees and get it back at the end of the year when you return it.

GEasy

I'm going into 3rd Mech Eng and it's on my Blackboard? Sounds pretty cool though (If they're not used for attendance all the time)

IainML

QueenOfLeon wrote: »

Visions of people walking into lectures with armloads of friends' clickers....:pac:

Hah! it would be easier just to go to the thing!

IainML

LakesKeane wrote: »

I'm going into 3rd Mech Eng and it's on my Blackboard? Sounds pretty cool though (If they're not used for attendance all the time)

I'm afraid that the link on Blackboard is not indicative that your course is using it. That's just a test link from the software that appears on everyone's log in. Sorry to disappoint!!

Ficheall

So the idea behind them is to solve the problem of getting responses from students being like drawing blood from a stone?
It seems more like a way of avoiding the problem than addressing it.

IainML

Ficheall wrote: »

So the idea behind them is to solve the problem of getting responses from students being like drawing blood from a stone?
It seems more like a way of avoiding the problem than addressing it.

well I'm not sure I'd agree there. It's a good way of encouraging participation in large classes and gradually overcoming inhibitions in terms of engaging, raising questions, etc. First year in particular is quite intimidating for many students and we know that this can help those who are a little uneasy at this stage as well as generally getting more discussion happening. But anyway, see how it goes.

challengemaster

IainML wrote: »

I'm afraid that the link on Blackboard is not indicative that your course is using it. That's just a test link from the software that appears on everyone's log in. Sorry to disappoint!!

Apart from...they're not on EVERYONEs log in. Even ones who are doing science.

IainML

hmm..not sure i understand...anyway, the Blackboard page is being looked at today so it is conceivable that the link will not be there much longer. Don't worry though. Those who are using the clickers will get all the info they need at the start of the semester when they are handed out along with simple instructions/info. The Blackboard thingie at the moment, is just a red herring! Everything is getting prepared for the start of the academic year so this is the time in which we install upgrades, new components, etc...

remember some other courses use them too. So who knows, you might come across the clickers yet.