Add Interactivity to Your
Science Lecture Using a
Classroom Response System
October 14, 2005
Paul Williams
Jeff Bechtold
Paul Nacozy
Outline
► What
is a Classroom Response System
(CRS)?
► How can a CRS be used to promote
interactivity?
► How can a CRS be implemented at ACC?
► What is the progress of our system?
My principal teaching discipline is
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Astronomy
Biology/Bio-tech
Chemistry
Geology/ESTE
Physics/ENGR
Other
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Prior to this workshop, I was
familiar with CRS
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I have previously used CRS in
my teaching
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Yes
No
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Yes
No
Classroom Response Systems
Components
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2.
Instructor poses question to entire class
with computer/projector/receiver
Students have input device to answer
questions
Classroom Response Systems
Advantages
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Answers are recorded and immediate feedback
can be given to students
Gives students anonymity while answering
questions
Typically all students answer question
Can collect data for Research or Participation
Grade
Pedagogically very versatile
Strategies for Using CRS in the
Classroom
I am familiar with the issue of
Intelligent Design
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I believe Intelligent Design should be
taught as an alternative scientific theory
to Evolution
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Polling
► Typically
an opinion question
► Students answer anonymously
► Good tool for promoting class discussion
A rectangular flower bed has
dimensions 2.0 m x 3.00 m. Its
area is
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6 m2
6.0 m2
6.00 m2
6.000 m2
All of the above
Some other answer
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Concept Tests
► Typically
Brief Questions to test student
understanding of concepts
► Can be used to see if additional time needs
to be devoted to topic
Sun’s corona is best observed
with which electromagnetic
radiation
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radio
infrared
visible
ultraviolet
x-ray
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Sun’s corona is best observed
with which electromagnetic
radiation
1.
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5.
radio
infrared
visible
ultraviolet
x-ray
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Think Pair Share Questions
► Goal
– Students learn from each other (Peer
Instruction)
► Same Question is asked twice
► First time students answer on their own
► Small group discussion about the question is held
and then students answer again
► Question choice is important – need a question
that you expect 30-50% of the students to initially
know the correct answer
A large dump truck rear ends a Yugo.
During the collision, the force exerted on
the Yugo by the truck is
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Larger in magnitude than the force
exerted on the truck by the Yugo
Equal in magnitude to the force
exerted on the truck by the Yugo
Less in magnitude than the force
exerted on the truck by the Yugo
Cannot be determined
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Eliciting Common Misconceptions
► Physics
Education Research has shown that
students strongly and persistently hold nonNewtonian beliefs about force and motion
► An effective strategy to change those beliefs
is to elicit them and confront them
Task
► Break
into groups of 3 – 4
► Introduce yourself to the members of your
group
► Brainstorm another way you could use a
CRS in the classroom
► You have three minutes
Uses of CRS in the Classroom
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Polling
Concept Tests
Think/Pair Share Questions
Eliciting Common Misconceptions
Others …
Implementation of CRS
►
►
Purchase Model
Available Resources at ACC
Getting Started – Instructor’s Perspectives
1. Jeff Bechtold’s Experiences
2. Paul Nacozy’s Experiences
Purchase Model
►
College-owned Classroom Sets
1.
2.
College bears cost
Instructor manages roster
►
Bundled with Text
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2.
Cost is included in Text (Instructor equipment is
typically included as part of adoption)
Student manages roster (typically over web)
►
Student Purchases Clicker at Bookstore
1.
Student buys clicker (college may have to buy
instructor equipment
Student manages roster (typically over web)
2.
The campus at which I primarily
teach is
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CYP
EVC
NRG
PIN
RGC
RVS
Other
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Class Sets
► ACC
currently owns four sets
► Two are TurningPoint
► Two are eInstruction (CPS) – Herb Coleman
► One of each is at Media at RGC
► One CPS is at media at NRG
► Innovation Grant set of TurningPoint at NRG
is what you are looking at
Innovation Grant
► Goal
– Turnkey portable system for use by
science faculty at NRG
► Lives in Physics prep room – NRG 2229
► Develop slide sets of TurningPoint questions
to share with other Physics Instructors (It’s
easier to edit than create from scratch)
► Conducting a number of Measures of
efficacy – In progress
Jeff’s Experiences
Paul’s Experiences
Contact Us
► Paul
Williams, NRG 2153, 223-4824,
pwill@austincc.edu
► Jeff
Bechtold, NRG 2216, 223-4788,
bechtold@austincc.edu
► Paul
Nacozy, NRG 4226, 223-4896,
pnacozy@austincc.edu
Workshop Evaluation
Please feel free to trade clickers to
answer the evaluation questions
anonymously
The material presented in the
workshop was interesting
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
The material presented in the
workshop was clear
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
My knowledge about using CRS
increased because of the
workshop
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
My interest in using CRS
increased because of the
workshop
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
I would attend a future
workshop about using
TurningPoint software
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Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree