Teaching with Classroom Response Systems

The author Derek Bruff is an assistant director at the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching and a senior lecturer in the Vanderbilt Department of Mathematics. Formerly he was a faculty preceptor in the Harvard University Department of Mathematics, teaching several courses and coordinating multisection calculus courses.

“Good teachers constantly look for ways to improve instruction. Bruff, Assistant Director of the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching, surveys how classroom response systems, commonly known as “clicker technology,” can improve teaching and learning. Bruff supplements his points on engagement and assessment with a classified array of clicker questions for a variety of teaching contexts. He also provides helpful advice on teaching choices with response systems: when to grade clicker questions, how to use them for summative assessment, and how to address cheating and lack of participation. He provides additional helpful suggestions on dealing with logistical issues such as system choice and troubleshooting. Throughout, the reader benefits from the copious examples gleaned from teachers.This book convincingly demonstrates that clicker technology allows teachers and students to adapt quickly to emerging learning needs….Bruff’s work is an enthusiastic, accessible, and detailed introduction for all educators interested in this popular educational technology tool.”—NACADA Journal, Issue 30(1) (Spring 2010)

• Preface. The Author.1. Engaging Students with Clickers.Generating Classwide Discussions.Generating Small-Group Discussions.Creating Times for Telling.Structuring Class Time.Making Class More Fun.2. Assessing Students with Clickers.Uncovering Student Learning.Evaluating Student Learning.3. A Taxonomy of Clicker Questions.Content Questions.Process Questions.4. Teaching Choices.Use of Class Time.Writing Questions.Student Response, Participation, and Grading.Classroom Choices.Small Classes.5. Technical and Logistical Choices.Technical Challenges.Vendor Selection and Adoption.Supporting and Promoting the Use of Clickers.Low-Tech Options.High-Tech Options.6. Why Use Clickers?Increased Student Participation.Increased Student Engagement.Frequent Feedback on Student Learning.Final Suggestions.References.Index.