Click, Click, Click!!!

The classroom response system, or commonly referred to as the clicker system was introduced to me last week by Carol. As Carol spoke about the classroom response system I thought about both its negative and positive contributions when used in the classroom.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the clicker system, it is a system that is commonly used to retrieve data or answers from a variety of people. This new piece of technology can be seen more and more in classrooms these days. A teacher can use the clicker system to quickly tabulate answers after asking students simple question. Not only does this process make it easy for students to answer questions, at the click of a button, it also helps teachers tabulate the answers and have them shown in graph form.
A clicker is easily used in the classroom when all students possess one. Each student is differentiated by a serial number, which belongs to each clicker. These numbers are kept discrete and can only be viewed by the facilitator. The feature helps keep answers anonymous, and while at the same time allowing the teacher to have control over that classroom, as he or she has the ability to find out where unnecessary clicks may be coming from.
Teachers can ask questions in the form of multiple choice questions, a question that can derive two answers or one with several choices. After the teacher asks the question, the students can then quickly make their selections by the click of a bottom. Essentially, all they have to do is click the one that applies to them. It is them transmitted and graphed automatically, without the teacher having to do anything. Having the graph projected on the screen can then allow the teacher to engage in a discussion with the class which can lead to his or her purpose (an assignment, a test, ect).
According to Carol, the clicker system can be useful when used in two ways:
1) For the purpose of classroom engagement
2) Assessment done by the teacher
I agree with Carol, as both of these uses would be ideal in a classroom setting, it allows for the teacher to accurately obtain required information while continuing to enforce the curriculum.
After learning about the clicker system, I think that I would use this technology in my classroom. Aside from the fact that it may not be available at the school in which I may teach in or each student my not be able to invest in one, I believe that it is a great piece of technology. It would really allow me to begin classes where I could ask questions relevant to the material being covered that day, which have answers leading to the discussion. By using the clicker system, my students could then feel more comfortable submitting information anonymously, rather than having to raise his or her hand. I think that this piece of technology would really useful in that sense, as everyone would be able to comfortably voice their opinion.