This document discusses integrating clickers, or student response systems, into classroom assessment. It presents clickers as a tool for assessment for learning, where students use clickers to provide feedback during class that informs subsequent teaching. The document outlines a workflow for using clickers, including asking a question, having students respond using clickers, reviewing responses, and discussing as a class. It emphasizes using clickers to promote student participation and check understanding during class. The document also provides tips for writing effective clicker questions and establishing a classroom culture where clickers support learning rather than evaluation.

1. Integrating Clickers into
Assessment for Learning
Chi Yan Lam, MEd, King Luu, MEd
Queen’s University @chiyanlam
Lunch ‘n Learn Classroom Assessment
February 6, 2012
@ygk
Assessment and Evaluation Group, Queen’s University
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2. Let’s Review...
It’s all in the
purposes of
your assessment.
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3. Learning is invisible.
input
? output
instruction achievement
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4. If you are...
Assessing FOR Learning
you use the assessment
(process & data) to inform your
subsequent teaching and
the student on his/her learning.
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5. Feedback!
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6. If you are doing an...
Assessment OF Learning
you make a summative judgement
about the quality of the learning.
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7. If you are using...
Assessment as Learning
you are engaging your students into
thinking about their learning.
“How do I (the learner) know if this
piece of writing is of quality?”
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8. Take-home message...
You’ve
gotta do it all!
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9. Continuum of Clickers Use
Integrated into
Instruction
Quizzes/Tests
Assessment for
Attendance
Learning
Assessment of
Data Learning
Collection
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10. Agenda
• What is Clickers all about?
• Integrating Clickers into your instruction
• Writing Effective Clickers Question
• Good practices
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11. Goal
Have you walk out of this session with some
capacity to think about using Clickers
instructionally as assessments for learning.
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12. Clickers
It’s not about the technology.
Technology is just a tool for learning.
Think of it as a pedagogy.
It’s another way to assess students in class.
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13. Assessment FOR
Learning
• Before a lesson
• review previous materials
• advance organizers
• During a lesson
• promote critical thinking
• check on understanding
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14. Assessment of Learning
• Before a lesson
• quiz previous material
• After a lesson
• exit check
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15. Workflow
ask 1 min
poll 3 min
review
3 min
discuss 4 min
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16. Good Practices
• Plan your lessons first, then insert clicker
questions strategically.
• Observe students while the poll is open
• Wait time is important
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17. Promoting an Assessment
for Learning Culture
• clickers enable students to participate in the
classroom
• answers are confidential – can make
mistakes without revealing to peers
• freedom to explore areas of perceived
weakness
• let your students know their responses are
not for marks
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18. Writing Effective
Clickers Question
• selected response (e.g., multiple-choice or
opinion)
• clear, unambiguous
• purpose and connection to learning
objectives
• all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy can be used
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19. Benefits of Clickers
• increase student participation
• instantaneous reporting of results
• scaffolding
• promoting class discussion - exploring
diverse viewpoints
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20. A Low-Tech Alternative?
coloured index cards
on a binder ring
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21. Next Steps
• Learn the technology
• TurningPoint
• i>Clickers
• Learn the software/backend
• Attend free webinars
• Acquire the hardware and play
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24. • http://www.teaching.utoronto.ca/teaching/
essentialinformation/educationaltechnology/
iclicker.htm
• http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/education/
16clickers.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=more
%20professors%20give%20out%20hand-held
%20&st=cse
• Designing Effective Questions for Classroom
Response System Teaching
• Ian D. Beatty, William J. Gerace, William J. Leonard, and Robert J. Dufresne (2008)
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26. Thank You!
@chiyanlam @ygk
chi.lam@QueensU.ca king.luu@QueensU.ca
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