Observation and Evaluation of the Use of Clickers in CU Physics Courses

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Observation and Evaluation of the Use of Clickers
in CU Physics Courses

• Kennda Lynch
• ASTR 5835
• Teaching Seminar, Spring 2008

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Study Objective

• Evaluate the differences in perceived teaching
  effectiveness in a clicker course and in a
  non-clicker course
• Evaluate the differences in perceived
  effectiveness of clickers in two different
  clicker-based courses.
• Evaluate the difference in perceived
  effectiveness of clickers between students who
  had previous experience with clickers and
  students who have not

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Study Set-up

• Course Observations
• Observed 2 lectures each of two different
  introductory Physics courses
• Instructor Questionnaire
• Interviewed instructors from both courses
• Reviewed course Websites Syllabus
• Surveyed Students
• Surveyed 129 students in Course A (Instructor of
  course B declined survey)

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Instructor Questionnaire

• Course A Instructor
• 3 years teaching at CU
• 1st time using clickers in a course
• Thinks clickers are great for large intro courses
  but does not know if they will use them upper
  level, smaller courses
• Course B Instructor
• 3 years teaching at CU
• Has used clickers before and will use clickers
  again
• Course B Co-Instructor
• 16 years of teaching at CU
• Has used clickers before and will use clickers
  again

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Student Survey

• Is this your 1st clicker course?
• Yes
• No
• Do you think the use of clickers is helping you
  to understand the material in this particular
  course?
• Yes
• No
• Other___________________________________________
• Do you think courses that use clickers are better
  than courses that do not?
• Yes
• No
• It depends on the course
• It depends on the instructor
• Both C D
• Would you take another course that uses clickers?
• Yes
• No
• Only if I have to (i.e. the course is required
  for my major)

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Overall Results
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Question 2 Do you think the use of clickers is
helping you to understand the material in this
particular course?
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Question 3 Do you think courses that use
clickers are better than courses that do not?
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Question 4 Would you take another course that
uses clickers?
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Comments from Question 2

• Sometimes
• I don't know
• No, but it makes me come to class
• Sort of some questions help, a lot do not
• This is a terrible course to judge by
• When material relevant to the lab or tutorials
• Clickers can only do so much
• Only to answer questions on exams
• when they give hard problems or concepts it just
  confuses me
• Depends on the nature of the question
• The time could be better spent explaining
  concepts
• It gives me a chance to think about the material

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Qualitative Observations

• Websites Syllabus
• Course and Clicker expectations well laid out in
  both classes
• Course B lists weekly Clicker questions
• In Class Observations of Instructor
• Course A
• Course B
• Some Fun Student Observations

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Conclusions

• Overall students think clickers help them learn.
• Clickers effectiveness may depend on experience
  of instructor (dont have any supporting data)
• Clickers may not be good for every class