Slides from my virtual presentation at the Muskegon Community College Math & Tech Workshop, August 10, 2010

1. Teaching with Classroom Response Systems Derek BruffVanderbilt University

2. About Me

4. About You

5. What is your experience with clickers? What is a clicker? I’ve heard about clickers but haven’t seen them used. I’ve seen a demo, but not used them. I’ve been a student in a class that used clickers. I’ve used clickers a small amount in my teaching. I’ve used clickers extensively in my teaching.

6. Which best describes your attitude towards teaching with clickers? I’m interested in using them regularly. I’m interested in experimenting with them a little. I’ll need to hear more about them before deciding to try them. I don’t think I’ll be using clickers anytime soon.

7. In which courses might you be most interested in using clickers? College Algebra / Precalculus Single-Variable Calculus Multi-Variable Calculus Linear Algebra Statistics Math for Pre-Service Teachers Other

8. Demonstration

9. Considering that a tiny acorn can grow into a mighty oak tree, which of the following contributes the majority of the mass of the tree? Soil Air Water Sunlight

10. A Few Clicker Vendors Turning Technologies i>clicker Qwizdom InterWrite PRS eInstruction

11. Next Generation Clickers Cell Phones as ClickersExample – Poll Everywhere(www.polleverywhere.com)

12. Next Generation Clickers Smart Phones as Clickers Example – ACU’s iPhone Initiative (www.acu.edu/connected)

13. Questions?

14. Multiple-choice questions can assess more than just factual recall. Shift #1

15. Precalculus Which of the following graphs could be that ofy = abx if b > 1? Source: ConcepTests to Accompany Calculus, 4th ed., by Hughes-Hallet et al.

16. Calculus You were once exactlythree feet tall. True False Source: GoodQuestions Project, Cornell University

17. Calculus A boat is drawn close to a dock by pulling in a rope as shown. How is the rate at which the rope is pulled in related to the rate at which the boat approaches the dock? They are equal. One is a constant multiple of the other. It depends on how close the boat is to the dock. Source: GoodQuestions Project, Cornell University

18. Linear Algebra Is it possible for the standard matrix of a linear transformation not to have an eigenvalue? Yes – High Confidence Yes – Low Confidence No – Low Confidence No – High Confidence Source: Derek Bruff, Vanderbilt University

19. Linear Algebra Is it possible for the standard matrix of a linear transformation not to have an eigenvalue? Yes – High Confidence Yes – Low Confidence No – Low Confidence No – High Confidence

20. Linear Algebra Is it possible for the standard matrix of a linear transformation not to have an eigenvalue? Yes – High Confidence Yes – Low Confidence No – Low Confidence No – High Confidence

21. Statistics Following an example in which a 95% confidence interval for the mean of the population of birth weights of babies born in the US in a particular year was found to be (6.85, 7.61):Is it correct to say that 95% of all birth weights will be between 6.85 and 7.61 pounds? Yes – High Confidence Yes – Low Confidence No – Low Confidence No – High Confidence Source: Derek Bruff, Vanderbilt University

22. Procedural Questions Write the formula for the following sequence (starting with n = 1): 1, -3, 9, -27, 81, … Source: Angela Sharp, University of Minnesota-Duluth

23. Procedural Questions Source: Adam Lucas, St. Mary’s College of California

24. Questions?

25. Clicker Questions can be used not only to assess students, but to engage them. Shift #2

26. Generating Discussion

27. Peer Instruction

28. Creating “Times for Telling”

29. Creating “Times for Telling” Through accounting procedures, it is known that about 10% of the employees in a store are stealing. The managers would like to fire the thieves, but their only tool in distinguishing them from the honest employees is a lie detector test that is only 90% accurate. That is, if an employee is a thief, he or she will fail the test with probability 0.9, and if an employee is not a thief, he or she will pass the test with probability 0.9. If an employee fails the test, what is the probability that he or she is a thief? 90% 75% 66 2/3% 50%

30. Creating “Times for Telling” Through accounting procedures, it is known that about 10% of the employees in a store are stealing. The managers would like to fire the thieves, but their only tool in distinguishing them from the honest employees is a lie detector test that is only 90% accurate. That is, if an employee is a thief, he or she will fail the test with probability 0.9, and if an employee is not a thief, he or she will pass the test with probability 0.9. If an employee fails the test, what is the probability that he or she is a thief? 90% 75% 66 2/3% 50%

31. Assisting Peer Assessment

32. Turning Quizzes into Learning Experiences

33. Structuring Class Time

34. Making Class More Fun

35. Which of these approaches to engaging students would you like to try?

36. Questions?

37. Practicing Agile Teaching need not feel too chaotic. Shift #3

38. Uncovering Student Learning

39. Agile Teaching

40. Responding to Results? Consider whether or not to display initial voting results to students. If students are mostly correct, hear from a couple of students to confirm. If students are split, have them reengage with the question and then revote. If students are mostly wrong, they will likely need some assistance before they can reengage with the question.

41. Shift #4 The technology, while not necessary to good pedagogy, can enhance teaching practices.

42. Why Clickers? Stowell & Nelson (2007) – Eastern Illinois Univ., clickers vs. response cards vs. hand-raising

44. “Mentos + Diet Coke” by the Cobras

45. “Score Cards” by Poundcommapound

46. “Survey” by Cocoen

47. “Structure” by Eric M Martin

48. “In the Lead” by Sifter

49. “Macbook X-Ray” by Pipeapple

50. “nose slide” by B.A.D.