Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Classroom Response Systems
Classroom response systems enable lecturers to facilitate electronic communication with their students through the use of devices designed to facilitate polling, the Q & A process and student feedback in the course. In this case, the lecturer will receive instant feedback on student responses, and grades are automatically recorded for each student. According to research conducted, many lecturers have expressed their appreciation at having a single, standardized, and supported classroom response system. Many students have communicated that using a response pad in class enables them to participate to a greater degree, making it possible to concentrate on specific topics. Although there can be many difficulties supporting a campus-wide classroom response system, it seems to be well worth the benefit. As learning styles continue to evolve, new methods of teaching are becoming necessary to communicate effectively with students. Using a response system during class engages students on a new level and increases attendance. Lecturers experienced in such systems also feel that grades have increased as a result of students’ greater attendance and participation during class.
I have found this rather interesting tutorial on YouTube which provides a sample use of classroom response systems. This video will show you step-by-step how to use Google Docs and the iPod Touch to create a student response system in your classroom.
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I concur with what Alison mentioned. In fact Moodle can be used to such an extent too. I remember when Moodle was first launched as an experiment at ICT Institute, we used to prepare quizzes on Moodle and give them out to students to get their feedback on a particular topic. It was a very good initiative, although the preparation of such quizzes took a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteStill students appreciated it as it was a different way of learning, and they also got to know the correct answer in promptu, when quizzes were of a multiple-choice nature.
One of the benefits that I envisage when using Classroom Response Systems (CRS), especially when a teacher wants to pose questions to students is that all students are given equal chance to respond. Therefore even students who are shy, or have low self-esteem will respond to the questions set by their teacher. Another positive aspect of using CRS students will get immediate feedback and can com¬pare their own responses to the responses of other students in the class, which can encourage a level of metacognition that might not otherwise occur.
ReplyDeleteAlison, the video is very interesting. In my institute we do not use Google Docs. From what I can see it is not that difficult to use, very encouraging indeed. I usually use quizzes towards the end of a topic. Now knowing how easy it is to use Google Docs I will do them more frequently. My students get very motivated when doing a quiz during class, in fact they always want to know when I will be holding a quiz. Through this not only students learn but will enjoy the subject being taught.
When planning quizzes we teachers should always pay attention to the type of questions we use. Questions should range from simple factual recall, to questions designed specifically to reveal and challenge common misconceptions in a given topic.
I tend to agree with you guys that Classroom Response Systems provide added value to the education system when compared to active learning methods such as class discussion.
ReplyDeleteIn a classical class discussion situation, it is the norm that only a limited number of students have the opportunity or are confident to answer a question. Sometimes the answers are obtained from the same individuals in all lectures. Even if some students answer questions correctly, the lecturer has no way to gauge whether the other students knew the correct answer or not. A student who is unsure of the correct answer may be unwilling to answer the question in front of his classmates because of the risk of being incorrect. One of the best features of a typical Classroom Response System environment is that it allows students to provide input without fear of public humiliation and without having to worry about other students dominating the discussion.
Even in small-group classes, many students are afraid to reply to lecturers’ questions; an ideal environment is one which guarantees that all students participate in a class discussion or exercise.
Vantaġġ ta’ dawn is-sistemi hu l-ħeffa li biha jasal messaġġ għand l-istudenti. Il-messaġġ imnejn ikun jinvolvi avviż dwar assignment, jew resit, jew ir-riżultat personali. Bil-metodi tradizzjonali l-għalliem irid jistenna li jiltaqa’ mal-istudent wiċċ imb’wiċċ, u dan imnejn jieħu iżjed żmien tas-sena akkademika. Filwaqt li b’dal-metodu, ċertu informazzjoni privata tibqa’ bejn l-istudent u l-għalliem, tibqa’ biss f’messaġġ bejniethom.
ReplyDeleteVantaġġ għal-lekċerer ikun il-ħin għar-riżultat. Jekk nieħdu l-multiple choice exercise: minkejja li l-preparazzjoni se tieħu iżjed ħin, dan jista’ jintuża (b’xi ftit bidliet) minn sena għall-oħra u kull darba l-korrezzjoni ssir mill-apparat innifsu.