2009 Canadian e-Learning Conference Program

Clickers Beyond the First Year: Interactive Teaching in Upper Level Physics Courses

Session Title: Clickers Beyond the First Year: Interactive Teaching in Upper Level Physics Courses

Resources:

  • Download slide presentation
  • Download the case study by Marina Milner-Bolotin, Tetyana Antimirova, and Anna Petrov submitted to the Journal of College Science Teaching (6 February 2009).

Time & Date: 11:50 A.M. – 12:35 P.M., Thursday, June 18, 2009

Location: Rm. 155, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre (IKBLC)

Session Description: The participants of this paper jam will be asked to discuss and debate the pedagogical pros and cons of the implementation of the electronic response systems (clickers), as well as tablet PCs or any other system allowing instantaneous interaction between the instructor and the students, as applied to upper level science courses. At Ryerson University, we started using clickers in our second year Modern Physics (N=25 students) and third year Electricity and Magnetism (N=40 students) courses. The first year of clicker implementation in these courses showed that students have a positive attitude toward this technology and perceive it as a helpful tool in learning as long as the use of this technology does not have a potential of lowering their grade; and active participation in the clicker-activities positive ly correlates with their performance on other course assessment. We will report the results of the study of the effectiveness of clicker-enhanced pedagogy on student learning in upper level courses. In addition, in these courses we also piloted the use of Tablet PCs to foster student collaboration and student-instructor interaction. The participants will brainstorm possible ways of using modern technology to create effective instantaneous communication between the professor and the students and the effects on this pedagogy on student learning. We will also outline some challenges in implementing these technologies in upper level physics courses and possible ways of addressing them.

Conference Stream: Learning & Teaching

Session Format: Paper Jam

Co-Presenter: Marina Milner-Bolotin

Co-Presenter Bio: Marina is an Assistant Professor in Physics Education at Ryerson University, Toronto, ON. She studies the effects of technology on physics learning.

Co-Presenter: Tetyana Antimirova

Co-Presenter: John Pyktel

Co-Presenter Bio: John Pyktel has over 30 years in technology pioneering Radio Shack in computers in 1977.  Involved in Higher Education technology market with student response, and other innovative, interactive technologies.

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