Overview
Allowing students to anonymously answer questions can facilitate discussion or provide feedback in larger classes, test content mastery, and allow for the exploration of sensitive topics anonymously. A useful bibliography of papers on the discipline specific use of clickers in teaching can be found here:
http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/docs/classroom-response-system-clickers-bibliography/.
By launching the TurningPoint software, you are able to create interactive slides within PowerPoint.
When you present your slideshow and arrive at an interactive polling slide, students use polling devices to vote. The radio signals from the polling devices are collected by the computer through a USB shaped radio receiver. The radio signals travel every direction so no pointing of the clickers is necessary. A green light on the polling device indicates that the vote was received. While polling is open, the last button pressed on the clicker will be the vote that counts. The slide toolbar has a count of how many clicker responses have been registered. Regular PowerPoint slides can be mixed in with the special interactive polling slides.
Where can I get clickers?
Semester Long Loans:
Sets of clickers can be borrowed for the duration of the semester by contacting tmurphy@williams.edu. Demand often exceeds supply, so advanced notice is required. In some cases, clickers are shared by several faculty members who have a classroom in common.
Alternatives
We have also been trying polling using cell phones: http://www.polleverywhere.com/.
