Clicker technology

[Stephen Brown]

Hi Phil, yes I see your point, if you take the clicker package as delivered off the shelf, including the way its been programmed. On the other hand if you can modify it a bit so that its not completely managed by the teacher  perhaps that opens up some interesting possibilities for more learner-centred activity.  i wonder if anyone has any experience of modifying the clicker  tool in this way, and how easy it is to do?

[MariusJugariu]

Hi Stephen/Phil,

I think it depends on the subject being taught. For example if you do a psychology course, you can pick a hot potato – the not very old case of Joseph Fritzl from Austria – and ask some tricky questions that would generate debates and arguments and perhaps that many would get the answer wrong, etc. This would involve their emotions, feelings, and it would be a different way of collection that info. But in a maths/statistics course I am not sure of how that would work.

[James Kerr]

Stephen and Phil,

That’s the rub, isn’t it?  When we purchase Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) tech, be it hardware and/or software, it’s usually closed system.  These COTS systems do not usually lend themselves to modification.  One would either have to buy into an open system (hardware and software) or completely DIY, from the clickers to the programming.  Alas, this is either beyond many’s abilities or more investment in time and energy than desired or available.  Open is great, but to modify requires a completely different level of commitment, set of tools, and set of skills.

Jim

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