Final Report
The Personal Response System Task Force
submitted by:
Charles H. Brown
Professor of Psychology
April 6, 2007
Table of Contents
1. Establishment of the Task Force
2. Task Force Members
3. History of Clicker Use on Campus
4. Personal Response System Evaluation Method
5. Highlights of the Subcommittee Findings
6. Task Force Deliberations and Observations
7. Task Force Recommendations
8. Pricing and Contact Information for Interwrite PRS
Appendix A: Faculty Survey
Appendix B: Student Survey
1. Establishment of the Task Force
The Task Force was established by Dr. Pat Covey, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs in October, 2006.
2. Task Force Members
Christy Britt, Foreign Languages
Charles Brown, Psychology (Chair of Task Force)
Michael Black, Computer and Information Science
Barbara Broome, Nursing
Thomas Chilton, Education
Kent Clark, Physics
Wesley Denny, Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Andy Lightbourne, Academic Computing
Brenda Litchfield, Education
Jason Smith, A&S Tech Support
Smoot Major, Biology
Deborah Spake, Business
3. History of Clicker Use on Campus
Clickers were initially adopted for instructional use by the independent actions of faculty in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education during the 2005-2006 Academic Year. In some instances, the cost of the clicker technology was funded by the University division, while in other cases students were required to purchase the clicker along with the course text materials. In Fall Semester of 2006 students enrolled in some biology, management, and psychology courses were required to purchase clickers. That semester 911 clickers were sold to students taking biology courses, 786 clickers were sold to psychology students, and 74 clickers were sold to students enrolled in management courses. Because each department had selected a different brand of clicker, 132 students enrolled in two of these departments were required to purchase two different brands of clickers.
4. Personal Response System Evaluation Method
The Task Force elected to model the selection process on the clicker evaluation method developed by the University of Wisconsin system. According to this method, samples of both students and faculty are surveyed about their preferences and concerns regarding clickers, and the Task Force utilizes the survey data to identify the product that best meets the needs of the largest number of potential users of the technology. The Task Force split into two subcommittees, and each subcommittee developed a survey instrument to assess student and faculty needs respectively, and each subcommittee administered their respective survey.
5. Highlights of the Subcommittee Findings
Faculty Needs Survey Subcommittee: Responses were received from 48 Department Chairs, Deans, and Associate Deans. The results suggested that there was an expanding interest in adopting the clicker technology for instruction within the University. The faculty preferred that the University select a clicker brand that did not require students to pay a subscription fee to utilize the technology (64%). The faculty noted that ease of use of the technology was important (64%), but they also wanted the advantages of the more complicated technology that permitted the development of questions that required numeric responses (45%), permitted the ability to register more than one answer (27%), could be used to assign confidence levels to the certainty of the student’s response (26%), and permitted instructors to draw on a tablet that could be projected on a screen (26%). A LCD screen for visual feedback was also identified as important feature of the clicker (23%).
Student Needs Survey Subcommittee: Survey responses were available for 535 students when the Task Force reconvened. The results showed that 80% of the students felt that the clicker technology improved instruction. They reported that using clickers made them attend class more often (48%), understand the material better (70%), and get a better grade (40%). The students reported very few problems, and high rates of reliability were reported for both the iClicker and Interwrite PRS clicker brands used in their courses.
6. Task Force Deliberations and Observations
During Task Force meetings it had been observed that the information provided by some technology vendors was inaccurate, and could lead to poor adoption decisions. Faculty and students in several departments reported unacceptable experiences with the Quizdom clicker product. The iClicker and Interwrite PRS clicker products both had a solid record of use at USA, and both were perceived as suitable candidates for Campus Wide adoption. The iClicker was perceived as a logical choice for adoption if ease of use of the technology was the only criteria. The Interwrite PRS clicker was perceived as an appropriate choice for adoption if the advanced feature capabilities of numeric inputs, and so forth, were judged as critical components. The sense of the Committee was that the development of a strong clicker technology support and resource presence through PETAL and other venues could shorten the learning curve for faculty if the more complicated clicker were selected for adoption. Thus the Task Force recommended that the Interwrite PRS clicker be adopted for campus wide use, and that a technology support initiative also be adopted. The Task Force noted that faculty and graduate students in the College of Education appeared to be eager to help the faculty learn how to adopt the advanced features of the Interwrite PRS clicker technology to best meet instructional objectives. It is hoped that the USA will become known for cutting edge solutions to challenging instructional problems, and that our students will profit from these efforts.
What does all this cost? The cost of the Interwrite PRS clicker is $35 to the bookstore, and it is currently being sold to students for $47. There is no software cost, or subscription fee. All faculties who adopt the Interwrite PRS clicker for their courses will receive a base unit and a clicker at no cost.
7. Task Force Recommendations
Recommendation 1: The Task Force recommends that the University adopt and publish a University of South Alabama Clicker Policy that specifies that students be required to purchase only one brand of personal response system (clicker) that has been selected for Campus Wide adoption by the University. The Task Force recommends that the University develop a mechanism to review requests for exceptions to this policy.
Recommendation 2: The Task Force recommends that the University of South Alabama Clicker Policy specify that the faculty is permitted to require students to use any other brand of clicker if students are not required to purchase software, hardware, or a subscription fee to utilize this product.
Recommendation 3: The Task Force recommends that the Interwrite PRS clicker be selected for campus wide adoption beginning Fall Semester 2007.
Recommendation 4: The Task Force recommends that the clicker brand endorsed for campus wide adoption (Recommendation 3) be reviewed annually by the University Technology Committee to determine if the available technology has changed sufficiently that the University should reinitiate the evaluation process.
Recommendation 5: The Task Force recommends that the University promote the development of PETAL workshops focused on using clickers to improve instruction, and that the faculty be encouraged to participate in these workshops.
Recommendation 6: The Task Force recommends that a University of South Alabama Clicker Policy Web Page be maintained by the University, and linked to the University Web Site. The Clicker Policy web page should include the following topics:
a. Clicker brand(s) supported or utilized by the various divisions in the University.
b. The clicker brand endorsed for course adoptions if the student is required to purchase the clicker (see recommendation 3).
c. Student Support Section:
1. How to register your clicker.
2. Sharing and loaning clickers.
3. How you know that your response was received.
4. Identifying hardware problems.
5. Changing batteries.
6. Code of ethics for clicker use.
d. Faculty Support Section:
1. Contact information for receiving a base unit, a clicker, and clicker software for course adoptions.
2. Solving registration problems, and how to loan and share clickers.
3. Helping students identify and solve hardware problems.
4. Using clickers to enhance learning, and how to write good clicker questions.
5. Importing clicker responses into electronic grade books.
6. Risks of cheating and recommended solutions.
7. Links to Petal workshops, and links to faculty “experts” willing to serve as a resource for faculty regarding the use of clickers.
Recommendation 7: The Task Force recommends that the University initiate action to reduce student costs for clickers and related educational technology. The Task Force recommends that the University promote the development of a web site where students may post clickers for sale. (This could be run through SGA). Interwrite Learning, who distribute the Interwrite PRS, have a buy-back option that can be activated through the campus bookstore, and the Task Force recommends that this option be exercised. Interwrite Learning is exploring the development of a “creative solution” to help the USA students who have purchased the iClicker (psychology and management students), and the Task Force recommends that the University pursue the development of a “solution” with Interwrite Learning.
8. Pricing and Contact Information for Interwrite PRS
Hi Chuck,
Thanks for taking the time to talk with me yesterday.
I want to include the information you requested from me yesterday.
Pricing for our clickers are as follows:
Each clicker is $35. That is the price we sell the clickers to either
the university or the book store. If through the bookstore, the
bookstore will usually mark up the product before selling it to the
students.
If the bookstore is willing, our product is available for them to set up
a buy back program if they do not have one in place already.
Each receiver is $220.00, however, for every 50 clickers bought by the
book store, our policy is that we will donate 1 clicker and 1 receiver
to the teacher that is going to be using the system.
However, while this is our company policy, I have the lead way to work
with you all however I need to. Since you are doing a campus wide
adoption, I will make sure that each teacher who is going to be using
the system will get a receiver and a clicker...regardless of what the
numbers may come out to. Also, if it comes down to wanting to outfit
certain classrooms with receivers, this is something that I will also
work with you on to make happen.
The software is always free and is available to download at anytime from
our website. You are also able to run our software from a jump drive.
I would recommend making sure your jump drive is 2.0 capable if you are
going to run the program from a jump drive.
As for some literature, this may be the best place to go:
http://interwritelearning.com/products/prs/radio/detail.html
Also, if you have students that are doing distance learning and taking
your class, we are able to provide a virtual clicker (must be a
synchronous class) and they can participate with your class.
http://interwritelearning.com/products/prs/virtual/detail.html
Please let me know if you need anything further. If you would like me
to send you some hard copies of literature of our clickers, please let
me know and I will get that out to ASAP.
One last note, my boss is out of town on vacation this week, so I will
not be able to have an answer for you until the beginning of next week
as to what we can possibly to as a creative solution for those students
who have already bought iclickers (800-1000 students). If you need an
answer before then, I'll try to see what I can do, but if you can hold
off until the beginning of next week, that will hopefully allow us to
come up with a better solution.
Thank you again for your time. I look forward to working with you.
Julie Weiss
Interwrite Learning
Regional Sales Manager
Cell: 602-361-1730
Tech Support: 800-856-0732
Inside Sales: 800-344-4723
www.interwritelearning.com
Appendix B: Student Survey