Student Response Systems ("Clickers")

Student Response Systems

Known by several names (e.g., classroom communication systems, electronic response systems, interactive response systems), Student Response Systems consist of

Student transmitter units ("clickers")
Receiver units to collect student input
Software to identify a student by clicker and to graphically display summary data for the instructor (and with a classroom projection system, for the entire class)

Typically, an instructor poses a question or problem to the class, students enter their answers into their clickers and the answers are summarized and displayed. Question cycles in which an instructor poses a question, allows students to think about it and/or discuss it and enter their answers, and then engages students in a larger discussion based on the summary of responses can be an extremely effective teaching method.

Recently, IU signed an agreement with eInstruction Corporation so instructors may use the CPSrf system without adoption via a textbook company. More details about the agreement and about getting started using CPSrf in the classroom can be found in the IU Knowledge Base articles below. Research on the effective use of student response systems can be found in the Suggested Readings and References section.