"Clickers"

     On the Planet community I came across a discussion about using LRSs (Learner Response Systems) or as we know them "clickers" or Votes and Expressions.  There were links to a few sites that further discuss the use of clickers in the classroom.  I was surprised to find that the best practices were taken from the University of Colorado and the use of clickers in a university setting.  My son in law just had to purchase a clicker for one of his classes at SIU-C as well, so they are being used across the academic spectrum, not just in a K-12 setting. 
     While a lot of what is on the sites pertains to a college setting, I think that it is transferable to an elementary/middle school setting. One of the objectives for using the "clickers", as we have talked about, is to engage students in active learning. This includes making predictions, applying skills and ideas, promoting discussion, and drawing connections.  Activotes and Expressions also provide feedback, not only to the teacher, but also to the students themselves of their understanding of a topic.  The clickers can be used for formative assessment that can help direct the lesson to meet the needs of the students.  It is also an excellent tool for summative assessment. 
     The sites I am including will also give you some best practices in how to write good clicker questions.  Some of the ideas include not making your questions too complicated or long.  Keep it simple, especially at first. This includes answer options.  Allow for Think/Pair/Share time.  Use the clickers for pre and post tests. Integrate questions throughout the lesson, not just at the end. 
     Remember we want students to be engaged in the teaching and learning process.  With the use of these devices in the classroom students are more engaged because they have a say in the class, even the quiet ones. 
     The sites referred to can be found here: 
10 Personal Response System Teaching Strategies
Best Practices for Writing Clicker Questions
Clicker Resource Guide- an Instructors Guide to the Effective Use of Personal Response Systems (clickers) in Teaching