Using CPS to Increase Student Engagement

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Using CPS to Increase Student Engagement

• Presented by
• Angela Lawrenz

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Why use clickers?

• Students have short attention spans
• Student engagement
• It gives students feedback
• It gives the teacher feedback

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Do they like it?

• Most like it a lot
• Its a competition
• Instant feedback
• It breaks up the lecture
• Some find it frustrating
• They have to work the problems quickly
• Its over material I just talked about
• They have to pay attention

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Why do I like it?

• It breaks up the lecture
• They actually try the problems
• Feedback!
• Its an easy way to give participation points
• It can be used to reinforce a particular idea

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Getting a class

• Go to
• http//www.blinn.edu/acadtech/cpsrequestform.htm
• and fill out the form.
• They will set up your account/classes.
• You will get a starter kit containing an extra
  response pad and a non-expiring code.

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How I Use Clickers in Class

• I begin each lecture with a question from
  previous material.
• I sprinkle my lecture with questions about the
  material Im currently lecturing on.
• I have them do pre-test reviews using the
  clickers.

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What I dont do, but you might

• Use the online gradebook
• Give quizzes/tests
• Use individual reports to get more information
  about individual students to pass on to them
• Play games as a learning tool in class

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Engagement Modes

• Teacher Managed Assessment
• This is how you do questions during lecture
• Student Managed Assessment
• This is how you give quizzes/tests or one try
  practice
• Teacher-Led Student Managed Assessment
• Used mostly for testing
• Student Managed Practice
• This is how you give multiple try practice

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Where to get questions

• Publisher created databases
• Note that CPS lets you create questions in
  PowerPoint, so if your publisher has questions in
  that form you can use them with CPS, even if your
  publisher isnt connected to eInstructions
• Write your own
• Trivia questions available from eInstructions
• Testbanks

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Verbal Questions

• Add questions instantly ask verbally, type and
  project, or write on the board
• Use old quizzes with minimal work
• Selecting the answer gives opportunity for
  discussion

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Caution

• You can run the clicker system and see the
  responses when in Preview mode, but no
  information will be recorded

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Reporting

• Can be used by just you or can be added to the
  gradebook for student use
• You can merge multiple sessions together and get
  one report for all of them
• You can get attendance information from an
  assessment report

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Gradebook

• Keeps track of attendance for you
• Can be used for non-CPS data
• Will calculate averages based on your instructions

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Attendance

• Can be viewed either as attendance sheets or as
  assessments in the gradebook
• You can either take attendance from an already
  taken assessment or as part of an assessment that
  youre about to do

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Cautionary tale

• I did have a student use both her own and her
  boyfriends clicker in one class day. So you
  still need to know who your students are and who
  is really there on any given day. I still take
  attendance by handing around a sign in sheet, and
  I keep track mentally of who isnt there.

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Games You Can Play

• There it is!
• Student managed competition (teams or individual)
• Bonus for FIRST correct answer, points for all
  correct answers, no points if wrong
• Top Score
• Teacher managed version of above
• You decide if they get bonus points
• Challenge Board
• CPS version of Jeopardy!
• They tell you topic and value, you click on
  question

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CPS Training

• August 23
• 1000 am 130 pm
• Both in Arts Sciences 211 on the Brenham campus
  and E238 on the Bryan Campus
• September 12, 13 as in the Michael Welchs handout

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Upcoming change

• Note there is a new version of both CPS and CPS
  for PowerPoint available. We will eventually be
  upgrading to these. However, they are not
  downwardly compatible with our current versions.
  So dont download the new ones to use at home yet.

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Contact at Blinn College Bryan Campus

• Erin Maxey
• Academic Technology
• erin.maxey._at_blinn.edu
• http//www.blinn.edu/acadtech/cps.htm
• Phone x7486

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Contact at Blinn College Brenham Campus

• Matt Carrino
• Academic Technology
• matt.carrino._at_blinn.edu
• http//www.blinn.edu/acadtech/cps.htm
• Phone x4021
• Note He will not start for another 2 weeks

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Presenter information

• Angela Lawrenz
• Email alawrenz_at_blinn.edu
• Phone x7385