Enhancing Communication and Interaction in Large Classrooms with Classroom Response Systems

1. Purdue's System-Wide Deployment of a Classroom Response System Presented by:Francoise BachelderSteven LichtiRobert FrenchPurdue University

2. Opinion Survey

3. In a large lecture hall the only means of communication for an instructor is to lecture hoping that his students will follow his explanations and not fall asleep Lack of Communication and Interaction in a Large Classroom

4. Sometimes the instructor will ask questions and some students will raise their hands, but who wants to be noticed in a large classroom by the instructor (or worse by the other students!). No communication

5. There is no communication between the instructor and the students. The process of passive learning is in place and even a very talented instructor finds it difficult to know if the students understand the concepts he is presenting to them. Passive learning

6. What is necessary in a large classroom is to create an interaction between the students and the instructor. The CPS system creates a new way of communication that facilitates active learning. Create interaction

7. By using clickers, the students do not have to raise their hand to answer questions. They just press on a button and automatically the instructor can see if the students understood or not. Using clickers

8. Professor Elmore in his Physics classroom

9. It is an advantage for the students because they are not singled out in the class. Advantage for the students

10. It is an advantage for the instructor because it is a way of getting a diagnostic on the overall understanding of the class (histogram). Advantage for the instructor

11. Histogram

12. It is up to the instructor to decide if he wants to use the system with the students using the clickers individually or have group discussions before using them. Group discussion

13. If the students “act” on answering a question even if it is only pressing a button it is making them do more than “think” about a possible answer. “Acting” an answer

14. The system also provides an instructor with a powerful knowledge of the classes general knowledge, the weaknesses that need to be cover again and the new concepts that can be approached. Feedback for the instructor

15. By using the clickers at certain periods during the class the instructor can stay in tune with the understanding and move on or go back. Diagnostic the knowledge

16. Many students may see the use of clickers as only to be tested and get a grade, it is important to change this perception and show them that the main advantage of using the system for them is to be active in their own learning process. Active learning

17. Learning occurs when the students instead of answering automatically a question without thinking, engage in reasoning and talking the answer. Engagement

18. When using group discussions and using clickers the focus changes but the interactions among the students and the instructors can be more creative. New Teaching Model

19. The students realize that it is not another way of being tested but it is designed to help them understand difficult concepts and participate to their own learning process. Learning Tool

20. Participating in the learning process is an achievement that technologies like response systems offer, and will make a learning system a success. Success

21. Quiz!

22. Testimonial

23. eInstruction – a company headquartered in Denton, Texas CPS – “Classroom Performance System,” the audience response system made by eInstruction CPSOnline – the online component of CPS. Terminology

24. Hardware Software CPSOnline TIC – Technology in the Classroom CPSRF Receiver Response Pad Components

25. Computer Wireless Mouse Single or Dual Projection USB Extension Cable CPSRF Receiver capable of supporting 1000 simultaneous users Standard Purdue Classroom

26. Adoption of a single system Minimize student costs Minimize barriers to faculty use Maximize the ability of ITaP to support classroom response systems System-wide Deployment

27. ~50 Instructors ~11000 Students 207 TIC Sites (Classrooms w/Technology) WebCT Vista Integration CPSOnline class creation and student signup Gradebook integration: one-click upload of grades into Vista Grade Book For the future: integration with question database & Blackboard Current State of Deployment

28. System Architecture Students pad number and CPSOnline username and password registered on eInstruction database and student is enrolled in CPSOnline class Students logon to WebCT Vista class or eInstruction web site, register their pad, and sign up for a CPSOnline class Instructor imports CPSOnline class containing students into CPS software

29. New Response Pads in Fall ’06 – LCD screens, auto-join New software version (4.0) Future Developments

30. Single point of contact Setup of testing environment WebCT server code must be tested in dev, qa and production environments Testing area on eInstruction servers WebCT Vista and eInstruction have different architectures CMS Integration

31. CPSOnline stores student data Username, personal info Grades (if uploaded outside WebCT) Eventual goal: bypass CPSOnline and have communication only between client software and WebCT Make eInstruction at Purdue available only via WebCT Student privacy issues

32. Quiz!

33. Workshops Initially demo only Move to include more hands-on and advanced features Hands-on is desirable, but no receiver is available at attendee workstation Create sample databases and distribute Install on laptops Training

34. Manual Had to make our own. Separate manuals for CPS software, reports & gradebook Include WebCT Vista and non-WebCT procedures Next rewrite to include research procedures (anonymous polling, IRB, disclaimer, release forms, CPS 4.0 direct export to SPSS) Training

35. Handouts Must have User’s Manuals for Vista and non-Vista versions Student pad registration Pad replacement Pad usage Handouts and manuals posted online for download Training

36. Link to version of CPS software currently running in labs and instructional sites Software is not always backwardly compatible – databases will be updated Discourage downloading from eInstruction web site Must communicate software upgrades Troubleshoot problems from failure to upgrade Training

37. Learning Curve How to use effectively in class Can slow teaching, especially in the beginning Technical problems kill enthusiasm Instructor Concerns

38. Vista class creation Registration link title is not name of CPSOnline class Additional signup links in the same Vista section point to the same CPSOnline class If instructor has previously created a CPSOnline class via the web using his/her Vista username, that username will be incremented when using Vista Typical Consulting Issues

39. Students in multiple sections of the same class that share one WebCT Vista section will be enrolled in one large CPSOnline class when registering via Vista Non-Vista student ID’s - If entered incorrectly, students themselves must change! Instructors can change in the software, but time consuming! Student passwords – can’t change in Vista Typical Consulting Issues

40. Loaner Pads – no provision for “dummy” students in Vista. Instructors have to add them in themselves online CPS v. 4.0 (beta) will not accept loaner pads not registered in Vista! Pad replacement Instructors need to be reminded to sync the class Typical Consulting Issues

41. Quiz!!

42. Opinion Survey

43. End and Questions Thank you for attending!