Navigation
Clickers
What is it? 
A Classroom Response System, commonly called “Clickers” at the University of Florida, refers to an audience response system that allows instructors in a face to face classroom to collect real-time data such as polls and assessments. The system used by the University of Florida is “TurningPoint 2006.”
The instructor uses a computer and projector for a presentation such as a PowerPoint lecture. The presentation slides include slides built with audience response software that include poll or quiz questions. Each student in the class has a wireless clicker that they use to respond to poll or quiz questions. The data is automatically compiled thus giving both instructors and students immediate feedback. Data can be compiled anonymously or can be compiled via a unique user identifier in each clicker. The compiled data remains stored on the computer for future viewing or analysis.Clickers
What are the educational uses and benefits?
- Allows the instructor to assess individual student needs.
- Allows instructor to assess students anonymously, as an individual, or as a group.
- Provides real-time, ready-to-use reports which can be used on the spot to amend lessons on the spot and to get immediate feedback from students.
- Gives students personalized assessments.
- Encourages students to participate in a non-threatening manner.
- TurningPoint slides are easy to create thus allowing instructors to use them on a regular basis in lessons.
- TurningPoint can re-ask earlier questions and highlight the variations in responses the second time around.
- TurningPoint captures and stores assessment data as the lesson progresses.
- Visual and written reports designed for teachers or students are available during the lesson or can be stored to be viewd after the lesson is over.
Clickers
How do I get started?
- TurningPoint 2006 is installed on all classroom computers at UF and is licensed for use in each classroom.
- Instructors will need a copy of TurningPoint on their Office computer to create TurningPoint-enabled presentations, which can be downloaded from TurningPoint's website.
- Students can purchase TurningPoint clickers at local textbook stores.
- Once students have used the TurningPoint Clicker Registration form in their WebCT Vista course, instructors will need to download this information into the TurningPoint program on the classroom computer during each classroom session.
- Students must select the appropriate channel for each classroom at the beginning of class. The procedure for setting the channel number in the classroom is:
- Press GO
- Press the two-digit channel number.
- Press GO
- Press "1". If the clicker indicator light blinks either GREEN or ORANGE when pressing this final "1", all is well. If the clicker indicator light blinks RED, there is a problem, and the channel number should be set again.
- Instructors should then load their presentation into TurningPoint 2006, and if necessary reset the session before starting the slide show. Resetting the session will erase any previous student response data associated with that session.
- At the end of a class period, instructors will generally want to collect the student response data. The data is contained in a TurningPoint "Session File," which ends in .tpz. This file can be moved moved from the computer's My Documents\TurningPoint\Sessions folder to the instructor's FLASH drive or other removeable media (or email, etc.).
- For more detailed information on how to utilize clickers at UF visit the Classroom Support: Classroom Response Systems at UF page.
Clickers
Where can I learn more?
- 7 Things You Should Know About Clickers: A PDF article outlining the educational uses and benefits of clickers.
- Classroom Response Systems at UF: Instructions on how to obtain and use clickers at UF.
- Faculty Guide to TurningPoint at UF: a detailed guide to using clickers at UF. Written by John Mocko.
- Student Guide to TurningPoint at UF: a detailed guide to using clickers at UF. Written by John Mocko.
- Turningpoint: A detailed explanation of the Turningpoint Classroom Response system.
- Turningpoint Higher Education: A detailed look at the uses of Turningpoint in higher education.
- Wikipedia – Audience Response System: Information on the benefits of audience response, applications, history, and resources.
For information on similar tools visit:
