Once I began using clickers, my world was rocked- ha! IMMEDIATE feedback was now avaliable!! I could quickly see that I needed to reteach something, that we were ready to move on, or that I had a few that would need some form of intervention. I have used them for many different things in my classroom.
Verbal Option- the verbal option is great for when you have a quick question to ask, want to take a poll, or have questions already in a SMART lesson or PowerPoint. The question is either already on the board or you ask it verbally. The results immediately pop up on the screen. If it's a poll or "voting," students can see how everyone voted. If it's a question, we can look at the different answers and discuss why someone put what they put. Hopefully, we can talk about how everyone got it right and move on! =)
Testing Option- This option displays results on your computer, but you want to have your projector off. You can type in the answers to a test and then as studnets are taking the test (or when they are finish) they put their answers in. As soon as the child presses enter, you know if they got it right or now-- how cool is that?! It also gives you the percentage of students who got each question right at the bottom. This is very helpful in learning about what you may need to reteach!
Testing Option on Screen-- Want to save paper?? Type or import your ExamView test into CPS and the questions will appear on the screen! Students can read the question and answer it with their clickers and you've never used any paper!!
There are some other options to use clickers as well, but those are the three I use/use most. I may use them in a test, to review vocabulary, or to ask an exit question-- the possibilies are endless!!
I found the blog, Technology in Elementary Education on GoogleReader, and the author stated how research has shown that student engagement is up when using clickers. I have also found this to be true. I know when every student has answered a question in class and get an answer from everyone. I don't have to pick one child to say the answer out loud-- everyone is involved! This blog also references the immediate feedback. That must be my favorite feature- I can quickly tell who needs help and NO GRADING FOR ME!!!! Click here to go to the blog.
Watch a quick video on using clickers in the classroom.
I really enjoyed this video, but it had the embedding option disabled. Watch it if you get a chance!
Here is another video: Do clickers help sutdents learn?
Here are two pictures of some of my students using clickers!
Jennifer
4 comments:
I enjoyed your post! I have never used 'clickers' before but have heard positive things about them. I understand a little more about how they work -- thanks to your post! They sound really useful and cool! Thanks for sharing!
-Amie
Hey Jennifer! I have never used the "clickers" in my PreK classroom but my own personal children LOVE to use them. My boys love the immediate feedback they are able to receive from their teachers. We did have a problem with my oldest son being "clicker happy!" He started making bad grades when he was first introduced to this system. Thankfully his teacher noticed and gave him the hard copy of an assessment and realized he was clicking too quickly. :)
I love the idea of using clickers. Getting instant feedback is so wonderful and knowing if you need to reteach a concept or if you can move ahead with the material. Since I teach computers we do not use clickers, but I do have a program that I can ask them questions on their computer and they can answer me right away. I teach at Deshler and I see you teach at Forest Hills. Nice to have a neighbor!!!
Hi Jennifer, Your excitement about using technology in your class and your love of teaching really come through. As a "seasoned" teacher it is nice to feel that excitement again. As you read in my blog, I too wrote about clickers and how I have been won over to their use after a bad experience. Thank you for sharing such good ideas!
Janet
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