The Center for Faculty Excellence and Information Technology Services announce the selection of a Primary Receiver Set (PRS) or "clicker" system. An open workshop will be conducted by assistant professor of physics Michael "Bodhi" Rogers on Monday, May 7th at 4 pm in CNS208. Please attend if you want to learn more about using clickers and what they can do to improve student learning, or more about the new PRS system.
Student polling devices—commonly called “clickers”—are handheld devices that allow students to send information to the instructor’s computer. This information can then be displayed as a histogram. Radio frequency clickers allow students to respond to alpha or numeric multiple choice, true / false, numeric, and single word response questions. Responses are anonymous to the class, but not to the instructor, thus providing an environment that encourages student participation. Responses can be easily graded and students can even take self-paced multi-question exams. When they are done with the exam they hit send and their answers are sent to the instructor’s computer for easy grading. You can even have students do out of class assignments and send the results during the next class session.
Ithaca College decided to select a single vendor through a faculty led collaboration with faculty and ITS staff. After a series of vendor visits fall 2006 Interwrite RF PRS clickers were identified as the best choice for IC based on faculty and ITS feedback. The benefits of selecting one vendor are:
1. The bookstore now sells the Interwrite RF PRS clickers for ~$47
(instead of departments having to manage clickers)
2. The bookstore now buys back Interwrite RF PRS clickers for ~$23.50
(they are now able to do buybacks because they only have to manage one vendor)
3. The bookstore now sells Interwrite RF PRS clickers at a used price when used clickers are available (price to be determined).
4. Students only need to buy one clicker, which they can use during their entire time at Ithaca College (instead of having to carry around two or three different clickers or use a different clicker each semester)
5. The price per class for clickers will decrease as more faculty use the PRS clickers
6. ITS will support the software and hardware in all IC classrooms
7. Interwrite RF PRS fully integrates with WebCT and with PowerPoint
If you are currently using clickers in your classroom make sure that you let Rod Beers in the bookstore know that you will be using clickers with your course. If you are using a system other than the Interwrite RF PRS we strongly encourage you to switch to the new fully supported IC clicker, as you will get much more effective support from the bookstore and ITS if you choose this product. If you choose to use a different clicker system your department will be required to manage the purchasing, distribution, and maintenance of the hardware and software.
Several Ithaca College faculty have found the clickers to be an effective tool for them to teach, connect, and assess each of their students. By keeping students focused during lectures, the tool gives teachers the ability to monitor whether students understand the material being covered. We hope you will find them useful and easy to use.
Please let Professor Rogers [mailto:mrogers@ithaca.edu] or ITS know if you have any questions or need additional information.
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20070427100036407