By Victor Tan. Department of Mathematics, NUS. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLjUralh7ZA&p=83FA1CD871F4A4E5 There are many clear advantages of using Classroom Response System (CRS) in class. When it is used effectively, CRS will promote active learning, and students will be more engaged during the lecture. However, it takes huge courage for a lecturer or module coordinator to take the first step to implement CRS in their classroom teaching. Other than having to manage the system while delivering the lecture at the same time, there are many logistical issues involved, such as the issuing and collecting the clickers. In this talk, I will share with the audience my experience of using and managing CRS in a math module of more than 400 students.

1. To click or not to click?
Managing
Classroom Response System
in a large class
VICTOR TAN
DEPT OF MATHEMATICS
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

2. Classroom Response System 101
(abbr) CRS
System consists:
CRS software ~ on Lecturer’s PC
Radio Frequency (or Infrared) receiver ~ connected to Lecturer’s PC
Response units (a.k.a. keypads or clickers) ~ held by students
How it works:
Lecturer prepares questions in advance or on the fly using the
software
Lecturer displays the questions (one at a time) in class
Students key in the answers using the clickers
Lecturer receives the response from the students and results can be
displayed in class instantly
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

3. CRS@NUS
Available at CIT
Loan for “one‐off lecture” or whole semester
The lecturer taking over the CRS will hold full
responsibility of the equipment
http://cit.nus.edu.sg/classroom‐response‐system/
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

4. CRS (Advantages)
Boosts the engagement of students in class
Encourages active learning
Adds variety to the lessons
Provides instant feedback for both lecturer and students
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

5. CRS (Considerations)
Can I manage the lecture and the CRS at the same time?
What if things get out of control?
Time management
System hang
Other unforeseen situation
Logistical issues
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

6. CRS (Logistical issues)
How do I hand out/collect back the clickers to/from
students?
Should I collect back the clickers after every lecture, or let
the students hold on to the clickers?
What if the students lose the clickers or disappear with
the clickers?
How to identify the individual clicker users?
What if there are more students than clickers available?
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

7. My CRS Module
MA1100: Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics
Over 400 students
Only 300 clickers available
Clicker Buddy System
Each buddy pair will share one clicker
Students will look for their own clicker buddies
Students are not allowed to change his/her buddy once it is fixed
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

8. My CRS Module (Assessment)
Introduce a CA component: Lecture Quiz (LQ)
Conducted using CRS during every lecture
4 to 5 MCQ questions spread across the lecture
Students work in pair with their buddy to discuss and
answer the LQ questions.
Each buddy pair will submit the same answer to each LQ
questions using the common clicker.
Each buddy pair will get the same mark for each LQ
Individual results can be generated using the software
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

9. My CRS Module (Logistic)
Get help from IT staff (and/or TA’s)
Students will keep and use the same clickers throughout
the semester
Distribution of clickers done outside classroom
Each buddy pair goes to IT office to sign out one clicker
(giving their names and contact)
IT staff will record the clicker numbers against the names
of students on module list
Students return clickers during lecture at the end of the
semester
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

10. My CRS Module (Problems)
Students forget to bring the clickers to lectures
Buddy holding the clicker is absent
Clicker’s battery is flat
Clicker is not responding
Students’ answer sent is not received
System no connection
Sharing the CRS with another lecturer
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

11. Student Feedback
10) How do you like the lecture Quizzes conducted during
lecture?
Options Percentage
Like it very much! 166 (45.3%)
OK. 182 (49.7%)
Not really like it. 15 (4%)
Hate it! 2 (0.5%)
Skip 1 (0.2%)
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

12. Student Feedback
11) Are the lecture Quiz questions easy in general?
Options Percentage
Quite easy in general 54 (14.7%)
A good mix of easy and difficult questions 293 (80%)
Quite difficult in general 7 (1.9%)
Skip 4 (1%)
Others 8 (2.1%)
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

13. Student Feedback
12) Do you prefer to use a clicker on your own or share with a
buddy?
Options Percentage
Have my own clicker 18 (4.9%)
Share with a buddy 254 (69.3%)
Either way is fine 76 (20.7%)
Should allow more than 2 students to 9 (2.4%)
share a clicker
Skip 5 (1.3%)
Others 4 (1%)
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

14. Student Feedback
13) Which of the point award system do you prefer for Lecture
Quizzes?
Options Percentage
Award points according to whether the 192 (52.4%)
answers are right or wrong.
Award points as long as students respond 54 (14.7%)
(whether the answers are right or wrong).
Either way is fine. 110 (30%)
Should not award points at all for lecture 8 (2.1%)
quizzes.
Skip 2 (0.5%)
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

15. Student Feedback
14) Lecture Quizzes have (you may select more than one
option below)
Options Percentage
made me pay more attention to the 290 (75.9%)
lecture 189 (49.4%)
helped me understand the concepts better
214 (56%)
provided me opportunity to discuss with
my friends during lecture
216 (56.5%)
promoted class participation during
lectures 249 (65.1%)
made the lectures more interesting
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

16. Student Feedback (some written comments)
Lecture quiz is an excellent idea to force students to
understand concepts!
I really like the lecture quiz. I think it makes lectures vivid and
encourages us to participate and discuss.
The lecture quiz is good as it serves as a motivation to read up
on the topic before the lecture.
Having lecture quiz is a brilliant idea and encourages students
to participate. The collective "oooh"s, "ahhh"s and cheers
before and after each quiz demostrates that students are
actively taking part in the quiz.
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

17. Student Feedback (some written comments)
sometimes lecture quiz make people feel very anxious. The
objective should be to allow ppl to understand the topic better
and pay more attension, however sometimes when people are
anxious it may counter the original objective.
Lecture quizzes have put students under a little bit of pressure,
but the discussion among friends over the questions have been
most constructive.
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

18. CRS VS QuestionSMS
SMS‐based audience response service
http://cit.nus.edu.sg/questionSMS/
Advantages:
Solve all the logistic problems
Simple to use
Allow text messages
Disadvantages:
Not as spontaneous
Cannot identify individual responses
Cannot generate reports
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class

19. THE END
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
BuzzEd 2011 Managing CRS in a Large Class