Summary Data by Group and Instructor
2003 to 2007
This study provides preliminary analysis of student academic performance in courses that used clicker technology and those that did not.
Clickers were used exclusively by Mr. David Vakil, Professor of Astronomy and Physics, during this period. The clickers were used in
Astronomy 20 and 25 (or equivalent) and Physics 2A so data were collected and summarized for all sections of these courses during the
study period.
Groups B and D represent the academic performance information for terms in which Mr. Vakil used the clickers (Spring 2006 through the
present). Fall-Spring and Summer data were kept separate to control for the sufficiently different demographics of summer vs. fall/spring
students. Data from before clicker implementation are included (Groups A and C) to serve as a control or comparison group. Performance
in the Vakil/clicker sections is highlighted in yellow.
Group A - Fall-Spring Pre-Clickers
Instructor
D. Vakil
All Others
Total/Average
Sections
9
50
59
A
n
78
276
354
B
%
14.7
12.3
12.8
n
94
432
526
C
%
17.8
19.3
19.0
n
108
486
594
D
%
20.4
21.7
21.5
n
60
146
206
%
8.7
9.8
9.6
I
n
2
9
11
n
141
668
809
%
3.8
7.5
6.7
I
n
0
7
7
n
104
452
556
%
2.3
4.7
4.3
I
n
0
2
2
F
%
11.3
6.5
7.5
n
46
218
264
W
%
26.7
29.9
29.3
Total
Enrolled
529
2235
2764
Success
(%)
52.9
53.4
53.3
Retention
(%)
73.3
70.1
70.7
%
24.8
29.0
28.1
Total
Enrolled
420
1558
1978
Success
(%)
61.9
56.0
57.2
Retention
(%)
75.2
71.0
71.9
%
31.8
13.1
16.2
Total
Enrolled
88
449
537
Success
(%)
63.6
76.8
74.7
Retention
(%)
68.2
86.9
83.8
GPA
2.28
2.32
2.31
Group B - Fall-Spring After Clicker Implementation
Instructor
D. Vakil
All Others
Total/Average
Sections
11
32
43
A
n
53
263
316
B
%
12.6
16.9
16.0
n
72
298
370
C
%
17.1
19.1
18.7
n
135
311
446
D
%
32.1
20.0
22.5
n
40
110
150
F
%
9.5
7.1
7.6
n
16
117
133
W
GPA
2.48
2.50
2.49
Group C - Summer Pre-Clickers
Instructor
D. Vakil
All Others
Total/Average
Sections
1
11
12
ECC Institutional Research
A
n
24
87
111
B
%
27.3
19.4
20.7
n
14
139
153
C
%
15.9
31.0
28.5
n
18
119
137
D
%
20.5
26.5
25.5
n
2
22
24
F
%
2.3
4.9
4.5
1
n
2
21
23
W
n
28
59
87
GPA
2.93
2.75
2.78
2/21/2008
Group D - Summer After Clicker Implementation
Instructor
D. Vakil
All Others
Total/Average
Sections
2
5
7
A
n
54
73
127
B
%
34.6
31.6
32.8
n
22
72
94
C
%
14.1
31.2
24.3
n
44
46
90
D
%
28.2
19.9
23.3
n
18
5
23
F
%
11.5
2.2
5.9
n
8
15
23
%
5.1
6.5
5.9
I
n
0
0
0
W
n
10
20
30
%
6.4
8.7
7.8
Total
Enrolled
156
231
387
Success
(%)
76.9
82.7
80.4
Retention
(%)
93.6
91.3
92.2
GPA
2.66
2.86
2.77
Preliminary Analysis
As shown in the table below, academic performance data suggest that clicker technology contributes to increased success, retention and
overall course performance (GPA) in fall and spring courses. For example, before-and-after clicker performance for Vakil (yellow columns)
shows a 9-point increase in success and a 2-point increase in retention compared with 2.5- and 1-point improvements for all others teaching
the same courses. The difference in GPA improvement in clicker classes compared with others was smaller and may not be significantly
different when tested. However, the pre- and post-course grade distributions were noticeably different—clicker classes produced a greater
percentage of Cs along with declines in Ds, Fs and Ws, perhaps converting D/F/W students into C students due to the added classroom
engagement that clickers promote.
The comparison of each group across instructors is also revealing. Reading across rows, Vakil had about the same success rate (<1-point
difference), a higher retention rate (3-point difference) and about the same GPA in fall-spring courses compared to peers before
implementing the clickers. After clickers, success was much higher with relative improvement in retention and GPA.
The difference is even more pronounced in summer terms (with the exception of GPA); however, these results should be used with caution
since too few courses taught by Vakil contribute to wider swings in the quoted rates. The strongest evidence indicates that clickers may help
with class retention (which sometimes negatively affects GPA).
Total
Enrolled
Fall-Spring Pre-Clickers (A)
59
2764
Fall-Spring With Clickers (B)
43
1978
Difference Before & After Clickers (Fall-Spring)
Summer Pre-Clickers (C)
12
537
Summer With Clickers (D)
7
387
Difference Before & After Clickers (Summer)
Group
Sections
Vakil
52.9
61.9
9.0
63.6
76.9
13.3
Success (%)
Diff.
Others
-0.5
53.4
5.9
56.0
2.5
-13.2
76.8
-5.8
82.7
5.8
Vakil
73.3
75.2
1.9
68.2
93.6
25.4
Retention (%)
Diff.
Others
3.2
70.1
4.2
71.0
0.9
-18.7
86.9
2.2
91.3
4.5
Vakil
2.28
2.48
0.20
2.93
2.66
-0.28
GPA
Others
2.32
2.50
0.18
2.75
2.86
0.11
Diff.
-0.04
-0.02
0.18
-0.20
Instructor/Term Detail is provided below.
ECC Institutional Research
2
2/21/2008
Group A - Fall-Spring Pre-Clickers
Spring 2004
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
3
11
14
A
n
38
51
89
B
%
14.7
8.2
10.1
n
44
119
163
C
%
17.1
19.1
18.5
n
62
126
188
D
%
24.0
20.3
21.4
n
28
43
71
%
10.9
12.9
12.3
I
n
2
3
5
%
11.8
I
n
1
n
137
%
5.0
7.5
6.9
I
n
0
0
0
n
58
185
243
%
8.9
6.3
6.7
I
n
0
5
5
n
27
146
173
%
7.0
7.5
7.3
I
n
0
7
7
F
%
10.9
6.9
8.1
n
28
80
108
W
n
56
200
256
%
21.7
32.2
29.1
Total
Enrolled
258
622
880
Success
(%)
55.8
47.6
50.0
Retention
(%)
78.3
67.8
70.9
%
24.5
Total
Enrolled
559
Success
(%)
56.7
Retention
(%)
75.5
%
36.5
36.3
36.3
Total
Enrolled
159
510
669
Success
(%)
50.3
48.8
49.2
Retention
(%)
63.5
63.7
63.7
%
24.1
26.8
26.4
Total
Enrolled
112
544
656
Success
(%)
50.0
61.0
59.1
Retention
(%)
75.9
73.2
73.6
%
28.3
32.8
31.5
Total
Enrolled
187
442
629
Success
(%)
54.0
52.0
52.6
Retention
(%)
71.7
67.2
68.5
GPA
2.20
2.09
2.13
Fall 2004
Instructor
All Other Instructors
Sections
16
A
n
73
B
%
13.1
n
114
%
13.2
9.0
10.0
n
30
95
125
%
17.0
19.5
19.1
n
20
104
124
C
%
20.4
n
130
%
18.9
18.6
18.7
n
29
108
137
%
17.9
19.1
18.9
n
17
122
139
D
%
23.3
n
38
%
18.2
21.2
20.5
n
13
38
51
%
15.2
22.4
21.2
n
19
27
46
F
%
6.8
n
66
%
8.2
7.5
7.6
n
%
17.0
5.0
7.0
n
10
34
44
W
GPA
2.29
Spring 2005
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
3
11
14
A
n
21
46
67
B
C
D
F
8
38
46
W
GPA
2.44
2.26
2.31
Fall 2005
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
3
12
15
A
n
19
106
125
B
C
D
F
W
GPA
2.23
2.61
2.54
Group B - Fall-Spring After Clicker Implementation
Spring 2006
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
4
9
13
ECC Institutional Research
A
n
18
67
85
B
%
9.6
15.2
13.5
n
31
64
95
C
%
16.6
14.5
15.1
n
52
99
151
D
%
27.8
22.4
24.0
n
20
27
47
3
%
10.7
6.1
7.5
F
n
13
33
46
W
n
53
145
198
GPA
2.16
2.41
2.34
2/21/2008
Fall 2006
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
3
12
15
A
n
21
106
127
B
%
17.1
17.5
17.4
n
22
130
152
C
%
17.9
21.4
20.8
n
31
120
151
D
%
25.2
19.8
20.7
n
11
42
53
%
1.6
7.2
6.3
I
n
0
0
0
n
36
165
201
%
0.9
7.9
6.6
I
n
0
0
0
n
15
142
157
%
2.3
4.0
3.2
I
n
0
0
0
n
28
7
35
%
5.3
I
n
1
n
22
%
4.3
I
n
1
n
30
F
%
8.9
6.9
7.3
n
2
44
46
W
%
29.3
27.2
27.5
Total
Enrolled
123
607
730
Success
(%)
60.2
58.6
58.9
Retention
(%)
70.7
72.8
72.5
%
13.6
27.9
25.4
Total
Enrolled
110
509
619
Success
(%)
77.3
56.2
59.9
Retention
(%)
86.4
72.1
74.6
%
31.8
7.1
18.7
Total
Enrolled
88
99
187
Success
(%)
63.6
86.9
75.9
Retention
(%)
68.2
92.9
81.3
%
11.7
Total
Enrolled
188
Success
(%)
77.1
Retention
(%)
88.3
%
18.5
Total
Enrolled
162
Success
(%)
70.4
Retention
(%)
81.5
GPA
2.56
2.54
2.55
Spring 2007
Instructor
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
Sections
4
11
15
A
n
14
90
104
B
%
12.7
17.7
16.8
n
19
104
123
%
27.3
16.2
21.4
n
14
34
48
C
%
17.3
20.4
19.9
n
52
92
144
%
15.9
34.3
25.7
n
18
36
54
D
%
47.3
18.1
23.3
n
9
41
50
%
20.5
36.4
28.9
n
2
2
4
F
%
8.2
8.1
8.1
n
%
2.3
2.0
2.1
n
1
40
41
W
GPA
2.48
2.50
2.48
Group C - Summer Pre-Clickers
Summer 2003
Instructor
Sections
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
1
3
4
A
n
24
16
40
B
C
D
F
2
4
6
W
GPA
2.93
2.61
2.76
Summer 2004
Instructor
Sections
All Other Instructors
4
A
n
42
B
%
22.3
n
64
%
17.9
n
41
C
%
34.0
n
39
%
25.3
n
44
D
%
20.7
n
10
%
27.2
n
10
F
%
5.3
n
10
%
6.2
n
W
GPA
2.76
Summer 2005
Instructor
Sections
All Other Instructors
ECC Institutional Research
4
A
n
29
B
C
D
4
F
7
W
GPA
2.61
2/21/2008
Group D - Summer After Clicker Implementation
Summer 2006
Instructor
Sections
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
1
2
3
A
n
34
20
54
B
%
39.5
25.0
32.5
n
10
19
29
%
28.6
35.1
33.0
n
12
53
65
C
%
11.6
23.8
17.5
n
18
24
42
%
17.1
35.1
29.4
n
26
22
48
D
%
20.9
30.0
25.3
n
14
2
16
%
37.1
14.6
21.7
n
4
3
7
%
9.3
5.0
7.2
I
n
0
0
0
%
0.0
7.3
5.0
I
n
0
0
0
F
%
16.3
2.5
9.6
n
8
4
12
W
n
2
11
13
%
2.3
13.8
7.8
Total
Enrolled
86
80
166
Success
(%)
72.1
78.8
75.3
Retention
(%)
97.7
86.3
92.2
%
11.4
6.0
7.7
Total
Enrolled
70
151
221
Success
(%)
82.9
84.8
84.2
Retention
(%)
88.6
94.0
92.3
GPA
2.57
2.71
2.62
Summer 2007
Instructor
Sections
Mr. David J. Vakil
All Other Instructors
Total/Average
ECC Institutional Research
1
3
4
A
n
20
53
73
B
C
D
5
F
%
5.7
2.0
3.2
n
0
11
11
W
n
8
9
17
GPA
2.77
2.93
2.88
2/21/2008