Vibrant student voices: exploring effects of the use of clickers in large college courses

Abstract

Teachers have begun using student response systems (SRSs) in an effort to enhance the learning process in higher education courses. Research providing detailed information about how interactive technologies affect students as they learn is crucial for professors who seek to improve teaching quality, attendance rates and student learning. This study investigates social, educational and emotional effects of the use of SRSs – clickers – at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Methods include participant observation, survey data from over 2000 students enrolled in three semesters of General Chemistry, and in‐depth interviews exploring the nature of student experiences with clickers. Findings suggest clickers significantly alter the social environment experienced by students as they learn. Clickers create learning environments characterized by greater activity, cooperation and conceptual application compared to traditional, lecture‐based instruction. Gender also influences whether students choose to work with peers during clicker‐prompted interaction. The qualitative analysis presented here extends upon themes identified in existing research on the effects of clickers for learning.

Keywords:

• clicker
• student response system
• student attitudes

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to all those who supported me in this work: my husband, family, faculty members who helped with design and editing, and reviewers. Peace be with you. The author also wishes to thank the University of Colorado Chemistry Department, notably V. Bierbaum and M. Asirvatham, for supporting this research.