Frequently Asked Questions

What is a student response system?

Student Response Systems are also referred to as "Clickers, "Audience Response Systems" or "Personal Response Systems". Clickers allow students to enter responses via a small wireless device that records responses through software and a radio frequency receiver to the instructor station in a classroom. Instructors build a PowerPoint presentation with built-in response indicators and ask students to respond to certain slides during the presentation. Student response systems have been around the educational world since about 1998 and their use is increasing at a rapid rate.

Which student response system and response card are supported by the University of Iowa?

Turning Technologies' "TurningPoint" and "TurningPoint AnyWhere". The software is supported on both the Mac and PC platforms. The ResponseCard RF is the standard clicker of choice. Other products like the advanced XR ResponseCard, ResponseCard Braille RF, ResponseWare, and ResponseCard AnyWhere are available to the University as the need for additional tools evolve. These additional options are availabe for testing purposes.

What can I do with clickers?

  • Engage students in active learning.
  • Encourage students' critical thought processes requiring synthesis of knowledge by providing them a way to answer questions.
  • Improve class attendance and student participation.
  • Encourage student preparation prior to class (reading of class materials).
  • Quickly determine whether homework or reading assignments have been completed before the class.
  • Improve instructor understanding of students' comprehension of curriculum.
  • Provide students with immediate feedback about the accuracy of their understanding of the curriculum.
  • Provide instructor with instant feedback of students' understanding of concepts and content knowledge.
  • Provide instructors with the ability to customize instruction based on student responses.
  • Use analysis of student responses as the basis for class discussion.
  • Traditional large lecture hall teaching methods are not suitable for all students. Meet the needs of diverse learning styles in large general education classes.
  • Track student progress toward academic standards.

How do I begin using clickers in class?

Contact the UI bookstore to let them know you will be using clickers in your classroom.

Whom should I contact?

Primary contact, Lora McKee Anderson, can be reached at 335-5543 or lora-mckee-anderson@uiowa.edu. She can help you get started and provide further information on hardware, software, and training. Secondary contact, Annette Beck, can be reached at 335-6043 or annette-beck@uiowa.edu . You can also contact Turning Technologies Graduate Student Intern Amanda Kirchner at 384-2726 amanda-kirchner@uiowa.edu .

Do students pay for the clickers?

Yes, students will purchase a clicker for a onetime fee of $37.35 from the bookstore. The clicker can be used in multiple classes.

What if my department already has clickers?

The bookstore will work with each department on a consignment basis to resell the clickers to students. Please contact Lora McKee Anderson for further information.