Why Use Clickers

We have found in working with a learning community composed of 18 Cal Poly Pomona faculty that clickers can be effective in the following ways:

They help students pay attention in class
Students enjoy the clickers and so are more open to classwork
If credit is tied to clicker questions, absences decrease
Student participation increases due to clickers
A majority (60-65%) of the more than 500 students we surveyed agreed that clickers helped them to learn better due to the above factors.

In order to reap these benefits, clickers must be used effectively. Please see the Best Practices section of this website for information about effective usage.

Here are some sites that provide research on the use of clickers in many disciplines, as well as more information about good pedagogical practices involving clickers:

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/cft/resources/teaching_resources/technology/crs_biblio.htm
This site provides a very broad compendium of research on the effectiveness of clickers.

http://www.mhhe.com/cps/docs/CPSWP_WakindDead082003.pdf
This early research paper was written by Cal Poly Pomona faculty in the Computer Information Systems department. Although it features a different clicker system, the information is relevant to iClicker.

Clickers in the Large Classroom: Current Research and Best Practice Tips
Caldwell, J.E. 2007. Life Sciences Education 6:9-20. Verified 1 July 2008.

http://telr.osu.edu/clickers/
This is a good general site about clickers, including examples from many disciplines.