20090305

Education research: preliminary feedback on clickers (Cuesta College, Astronomy 210, Spring Semester 2009)

Cuesta College students taking Astronomy 210 (introductory astronomy) at Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA use clickers (Classroom Performance System, einstruction.com) to engage in peer-interaction ("think-(pair)-share") discussion questions during lecture.

Through the fifth and sixth weeks of instruction (third and fourth weeks of using clickers), students were given the opportunity to evaluate the instructional components of the course, and the use of clickers in an online "Learning Resource Survey" hosted by SurveyMonkey.com. Questions from section II are adapted from the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG) survey (developed by Elaine Seymour, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison), and questions from section III (III.1, III.3, III.5, and III.7) were adapted from a "Clicker Attitude Survey" (N. W. Reay, Lei Bao, and Pengfei Li, Physics Education Research Group, Ohio State University).

These are the complete survey results. Analysis will be forthcoming after more data has been compiled from future semesters. Values for the mean and standard deviations are given next to the modal response category for each question. Note that the order of questions within sections II and III were randomly scrambled for each student.
Learning Resource Survey
Cuesta College
Astronomy 210 Spring Semester 2009 sections 30674, 30676
(N = 49)

I. In order to receive credit for completing this survey,
first enter your first and last name below:
____


II. How much did each of the following aspects of the class help
your learning?

II.1 Lecture by instructor.
1. Strongly disagree 1 : *
2. Disagree 5 : *****
3. Neutral 8 : ********
4. Agree 21 : ********************* [3.9 +/- 1.0]
5. Strongly agree 14 : **************

II.2 Working in groups on in-class activities.
1. Strongly disagree 3 : ***
2. Disagree 3 : ***
3. Neutral 10 : **********
4. Agree 21 : ********************* [3.7 +/- 1.1]
5. Strongly agree 11 : ***********

II.3 Using clickers to participate in class.
1. Strongly disagree 0 :
2. Disagree 2 : **
3. Neutral 8 : ********
4. Agree 21 : ********************* [4.1 +/- 0.8]
5. Strongly agree 18 : ******************

II.4 Reading the textbook.
1. Strongly disagree 2 : **
2. Disagree 4 : ****
3. Neutral 13 : *************
4. Agree 20 : ******************** [3.7 +/- 1.0]
5. Strongly agree 10 : **********

II.5 Demonstrations/videos in class.
1. Strongly disagree 1 : *
2. Disagree 2 : **
3. Neutral 8 : ********
4. Agree 20 : ******************** [4.1 +/- 0.9]
5. Strongly agree 18 : ******************

II.6 Interacting with other students during class.
1. Strongly disagree 2 : **
2. Disagree 3 : **
3. Neutral 5 : *****
4. Agree 26 : ************************** [3.9 +/- 1.0]
5. Strongly agree 13 : *************

II.7 Interacting with other students outside of class.
1. Strongly disagree 2 : **
2. Disagree 10 : **********
3. Neutral 24 : ************************ [3.0 +/- 0.9]
4. Agree 11 : ***********
5. Strongly agree 1 : *

III. Answer the following statements which may or may not describe
your beliefs about the use of clickers in this class.

III.1 I like using clickers.
1. Strongly disagree 1 : *
2. Disagree 3 : ***
3. Neutral 6 : ******
4. Agree 24 : ************************ [4.0 +/- 0.9]
5. Strongly agree 15 : ***************

III.2 Clickers helped me understand lectures better.
1. Strongly disagree 0 :
2. Disagree 4 : ****
3. Neutral 8 : ********
4. Agree 30 : ****************************** [3.8 +/- 0.8]
5. Strongly agree 7 : *******

III.3 I would recommend using clickers in future semesters of this class.
1. Strongly disagree 0 :
2. Disagree 3 : ***
3. Neutral 6 : ******
4. Agree 27 : *************************** [4.0 +/- 0.8]
5. Strongly agree 13 : *************

III.4 I will avoid other classes using clickers in future semesters.
1. Strongly disagree 19 : *******************
2. Disagree 27 : *************************** [1.7 +/- 2.7]
3. Neutral 3 : ***
4. Agree 0 :
5. Strongly agree 0 :

III.5 Clickers were a positive experience.
1. Strongly disagree 0 :
2. Disagree 1 : *
3. Neutral 5 : *****
4. Agree 33 : ********************************* [4.1 +/- 0.6]
5. Strongly agree 10 : **********

III.6 Too much time in class was spent using clickers.
1. Strongly disagree 13 : *************
2. Disagree 27 : *************************** [2.0 +/- 2.0]
3. Neutral 5 : *****
4. Agree 4 : ****
5. Strongly agree 0 :

III.7 Too many clicker questions were asked.
1. Strongly disagree 14 : **************
2. Disagree 28 : **************************** [1.9 +/- 2.1]
3. Neutral 5 : *****
4. Agree 1 : *
5. Strongly agree 0 :

III.8 Using clickers was difficult.
1. Strongly disagree 31 : ******************************* [1.6 +/- 4.5]
2. Disagree 14 : **************
3. Neutral 1 : *
4. Agree 1 : *
5. Strongly agree 2 : **

IV. (Optional.) Please type in any comments you may have regarding
the use of clickers in Astronomy 210.
The following are all of the student responses to this question, verbatim and unedited.
"Did I do this survey already, when you first announced it, or is this another one? The clickers are a great benefit for both the student and teacher. The student can print the clicker questions prior to class, and circle the answers in pencil, then correct them during lecture. This is a great study tool for the tests. For the teacher, they have immediate feedback and can better manage their lecture time. They can devote more time, or less time to a topic depending on the level of understanding the students are showing."

"I really do enjoy the clickers in class. It really is away of making me stop and really think over what I just learned and just how to apply that information to the questions asked. I would enjoy having the use of clickers in other classes like History."

"Clickers helped make the answers to questions clear. It helped the teacher see when the class wasn't understanding and gave many opportunities for students to discuss with each other the answers. It promoted discussions and made class interaction a necessity."

"I like the idea of clickers because you get to see how much the class is understanding overall."

"Clickers were fine in class because the instructor was able to help you then and there with things you had questions about. Sometimes I think though that some students were just messing around and purposefully clicking on wrong questions with the i don't know answer (i heard a kid next to me mention he was gonna click that option)."

"These are really cool devices!!"

"I like the clicker questions but when they are the first things that are done in class it is difficult to understand the marerial. I realize that we are supposed to read the chapter ahead of time but even when that has been done it is still difficult to answer questions about the lecture before the lecture. Same thing with in-class activities."

"Suggest to people they keep their clicker in their car or bag as to not forget it for class."

"I enjoy using clickers in class, they are an interactive learning tool that is very helpful"

"I think it's helpful at the end of lectures to use clickers but when we do it at the beginning before we have heard the lecture the questions we have to answer are sometimes difficult and i don't understand what we're talking about until the class is almost over or until the next class. I do read the chapters before class and for me, it's easier to see a powerpoint presentation then answer a bunch of questions."

"I like using clickers, but they are way too expensive."

"This was the first time I have used clickers in a class, for those that are finacially strapped it was a burden. But using them during class did help with some lecture that I was confused on."

"Never used a clicker before. Found it very useful in my learning. Can also see how helpful it is to the instructor in letting him know how well we are understanding the material."

"P-Dog ROCKS MY WORLD!!!!!!!!!"

"Clickers nice unless one has misplaced his or her's/ the batteries die."

"I think clickers are very helpful, but I would like the information to be described in greater detail before we begin the group projects, or are asked to answer clicker questions."

"the clicker questions arent that bad its just hard to get them to read so u end up pushing the button a hundred times."

"I like clickers :)"

"Clickers are a fun way to participate and interact in class."

"I think it's great that everyone has the opportunity to respond. It's good that the instructor knows where students stand. A downside for me is that I'm often in the minority of those who don't get it. I've never had such a hard time with a class & it's bothering me immensely, so I'm sure that's affecting my ratings."

"Clickers are a fun way to be active during class and it helps students try to answer study questions on their own, and if they are wrong they recieve information as to why a different answer is correct."

"I like using the clickers in class. It's a good way to participate without having to be called on unwillingly. It also lets you know that other people may answer the same way as you because a common misconception. I also really like the clickers because it is sometimes easier to have a student explination rather than a highly scientific explination."

"This was my first time using a clicker in class. I know that if we spent more time using the clickers then I would perform better on the quizzes. So in conclusion I believe we do not spend adequate time using the clickers. More Clicker-Time please!!! -Star Geek"

"I think using clickers is a good way to get the whole class involved without having to use up paper, its a more fun way to take a quiz."

"clickers are da bomb!!!"

"Clickers are a fun and interactive way to participate in class."

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