CIT 2006 - WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2006
Active Student Responding Using a Technology-Based
Teaching & Course Enhancement Tool
Instructors:
Kathleen Gradel, Associate Professor
College of Education
SUNY Fredonia
Michael Jabot, Associate Dean
College of Education
SUNY Fredonia
Daniele Brogcinski, Research Associate
College of Education
SUNY Fredonia
Time: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Fenton 2162
Rating: Introductory
Cost: $35
Engaging learners is a continual challenge for teachers across the P-16 grade range. We know that “the more actively engaged the learner is” the more likely she/he will master content, apply knowledge, and generalize skills. Interventions proving the efficacy of active engagement are clear, using multiple low-tech strategies. In addition to ensuring frequent, quality opportunities to respond, the instructor’s response should ideally be directly relevant to the learner’s contribution, so that instruction can be 'informed' by the learner's understanding. Given the ongoing demands of running a classroom, doing this systematically - even using technology supports - is difficult, at best.
This hands-on session will illustrate - and give participants practice - in using a way-cool technology tool that enables students to respond via total class engagement, by using a remote (TV-like) transmitter. The workshop will highlight options for higher education, and include reports on cross-discipline applications of the Classroom Performance System (CPS).
The CPS is a technology-assisted instructional package that consists of a group of wireless, individual response pads (each looking much like a TV remote), a centralized receiver, and classroom assessment software. Questions are designed by the instructor and inputted into the CPS 'question bank' OR in sync with PowerPoint OR on the fly. As questions are posed to students (in open-ended, true-false, or multiple-choice formats) students point their remote at the receiver, and vote their answer in. The results of the vote can be immediately displayed in any number of ways, depending on instructor intent, to maximize learning and participation. All members of the class have an equal opportunity to respond to each posed question, using their remote response pads by pushing a button on the handheld remote unit to activate a choice to each question. Questions are projected in the front of the class through a computer projection unit hook-up. A visual display (a) lets the teacher know if all pupils responded, and (b) shows the class how everyone has responded.
The workshop will focus on CPS enhancement of teaching and learning to:
- Promote discussion, e.g., by showing divergence in class opinion.
- Create flexible instruction, by encouraging students to be involved, and allows the instructor to modify a lesson on the fly.
- Promote interactive learning.
- Focus attention.
- Collect measures of both student response rates and responses to teacher questions, to do systematic, non-intrusive evaluation of teaching and learning.