Clickers and Polling
Clickers are portable, hand-held response systems used to query students, gauging their understanding of concepts and material presented during class. Responses are instantaneously collected and then displayed by instructors to facilitate discussion and increase comprehension.
Clickers represent an easy-to-adopt technology that can enhance the learning experience. For faculty, clickers evaluate student mastery of content and identify concepts that are proving difficult for students to grasp. For students, they provide a quick way to assess their own learning, helping them identify areas for improvement. Clickers can also be used to anonymously measure student opinion on controversial or sensitive issues. Additionally, they can be used to catalyze debate and discussion, turning a passive lecture into an interactive exchange.
Turning Technologies’ “TurningPoint” clickers can be purchased by students at the USC Bookstores and can be registered from within any Blackboard course. Once a clicker is registered, collected responses can be user-identified and used for assigning grades. Receivers, which are used by instructors to collect question responses, are available for purchase on the third floor of USC’s Bookstore.
As polling technology continues to evolve, alternatives to physical clickers are increasingly available, featuring various response and reporting options.
For more information about clickers and other web-based polling solutions, please send an email to email@example.com.