First day of clickers: introducing think-(pair)-share

Some background from education research, and then a first-day presentation to motivate students on the use of peer instruction in the classroom.

Paul J. Green at Harvard University (2003) explains the importance of clearly outlining the motivation for, and the means of using clickers in the classroom:

"For Peer Instruction, Day One is particularly important. This is when you can set the tone for a relaxed classroom environment where inquiry and participation are encouraged. It is also the best time to make clear that Peer Instruction is not a free-for-all. During the first several classes, lay out clearly what you expect from the students, and how they will be evaluated..."

Amy Forestell at the University of Texas (2008) outlines an exemplary think-(pair)-share procedure:

"Present question to students. Ask students to 'think' individually about the question for "x" seconds or minutes. Say, 'Here's a question that we will vote on' or simply, 'Question.' Don't go into a lengthy introduction or description. Don’t read the question aloud. Read it to yourself slowly as if you were a student reading it for the first time and had to answer it... When you are finished you should have a sense that most students are done and getting their cards ready to vote. Say, 'How many people need more time?' Don't say something like 'Everyone done?' because you don't get good feedback from that. If many students actually need more time they will let you know.
      "Have students anonymously provide their answer to the question simultaneously as a class. When most students are ready say, 'Vote on the count of three. One, two, three, vote...'
      "Decide if students should 'share' their answers with each other. This is the case when about 50% of the students are correct. If more than [about] 80% of students are correct, there is no need to discuss the question further. If fewer than 50% of students are incorrect, there isn't a critical mass for fruitful discussion... If between 50% and 80% of the students got it right...tell the students, 'Find a person who has a different answer than yours and convince them that you are right. You have [time limit] minutes.' You may remind them that this might require getting up and moving around the room. After they have had enough time (not necessarily the time you said) tell them to stop. To get their attention you may have a happy place in the room you return to, flash the lights, or ring a bell. Say it is time to vote again. Vote as above: 'One, two, three, vote.' Share the results with your students."

Neil Lasry, at John Abbott College, Quebec (2008) finds that:

"...whereas flashcards require taking class-time to tabulate responses or estimate answer distributions, clickers allow instructors to automatically get precise real-time student feedback. ...From a learning perspective, using PI [Peer Instruction] with clickers does not provide any significant learning advantage over low-tech flashcards."

At Cuesta College in fall semester 2008, Astronomy 210 (introductory astronomy) students will be trained to use flashcards on the first day of class, but will use clickers for the remainder of the semester, primarily as a means to gain useful statistics on student responses. Links to the full-size front and backs of these cards (to be folded over by the students and held under their chin to respond) are posted below:




The following first-day presentation introduces students to the motivation of, and use of clickers (and in the interim, simple flashcards) in the classroom.



A contrast is made between the traditional passive mode of learning, where the focus of the students is on the instructor...



...with an active mode of learning, where the focus of the instructor, as well as the rest of the classroom, is on the students themselves.



How will this happen? Better than asking for a show of hands is to get students to commit to their answers using flashcards. (N.b.: Ed Prather at the University of Arizona recommends taking digital photos (or at least, pretending to) of the classroom after students show their flashcards as a conceit of getting students to fully participate. Ex: "Hold your flashcards up! Keep them up! I have to take a photo of this...because this is neat! It's important to me!")



Electronic response systems (clickers) will be used to compile answers such that the instructor and students can gauge how the class as a whole is doing.



The method (as detailed above by Amy Forestell) is think-(pair)-share, where a question is posed, students think about it (without discussion), and then share their answers using flashcards or clickers. If there needs to be a follow-up, then students are highly encouraged (forced) to share and defend their answers with a student who responded differently, and then share their answers again, hopefully with a shift towards a more correct answer.



Flashcards will be used to initially train students in the think-(pair)-share methodology.



Then as students purchase and register their clickers, then they will be used to respond to think-(pair)-share questions. Students receive credit no matter how they respond, but they must be present in class and respond to more than half of the questions in order to receive full participation credit for that day.



Again emphasizing the passive (read: boring) nature of a traditional classroom...



...with the active (read: more exciting) nature of an interactive classroom.



Questions, anyone? (This presentation is then immediately followed-up by a syllabus quiz using think-(pair)-share.)



Bibliography:

• A. Forestell, G. Brissenden, E. E. Prather, T. F. Slater, "Revisiting Think-Pair-Share: An Expanded 'How-To' Guide," Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Strategy, February 2008 (http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/teachingstrategies/teachingdetails/?StrategyID=23).
  
  
• P. J. Green, Peer Instruction for Astronomy, Pearson Education, 2003, p. 20.
  
  
• N. Lasry, "Clickers or Flashcards: Is There Really a Difference?" The PhysicsTeacher, vol. 46, p. 242, April 2008, (tinyurl.com/6q7843)