Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 395-406).

This study explored how student responses systems are being used in middle school classrooms. The study sought to find out (1) for what purposes middle school teachers used student response systems (SRS); (2) in what subject areas middle school teachers use SRS; (3) if teachers profile of use of the systems were associated with particular characteristics of teachers (i.e., years taught, semesters using SRS technology, professional development experiences); (4) if teachers profile of use of the systems were related to their perceptions regarding the effect of SRS on instruction; and (5) if teachers profile of use of the systems were related to their perceptions regarding the effect of SRS on student learning. A total of 658 middle school teachers using student response systems were contacted to participate in the electronic survey. A total of 121 responded, yielding a response rate of 18.38%. A pre-existing survey, the Student Response System Questionnaire, was used to gather quantitative data for this study. Descriptive statistics were used to report data for purposes teachers used the systems and in what subject areas teachers used the systems. The results from the study show that grades 6-8 teachers are using student response systems across the curriculum and the main purpose is for formative assessment. Analysis of variance tests (ANOVAs) were used to analyze the relationship between profiles of use and continuous data (i.e., how many years the teachers have taught and how many semesters they have used student response technology). There was a significant relationship (F = 3.56, p < .05) between the number of years teachers had taught and their profiles of use. After an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was conducted for the number of semesters teachers had used the SRS as compared to their profile of use, no significance was found. A chi-square test (85.41, p <.01) revealed there was a significant relationship between teachers' profile of use and the amount of technical professional development they have received. A chi-square test (21.83, p <.01) revealed there was a significant relationship between teachers' profile of use and the amount of instructional professional development they had received. An analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was conducted between the teachers' profile of use and their perceptions regarding the effect of student response systems on instruction. This correlation was significant at the .000 level and was therefore significant to this study implying a relationship between the teachers' perceptions regarding the effect of student response systems on instruction and their profiles of use. An analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was also conducted between the teachers' profile of use and their perceptions regarding the effect of student response systems on student learning. This correlation was significant at the .002 level and was therefore significant to this study implying a relationship between the teachers' perceptions regarding the effect of student response systems on student learning and their profiles of use. Ten open response questions were sent out to participating teachers soliciting qualitative data to support the quantitative data from the electronic survey. Eleven teachers responded and themes from their responses are included in the results of this study.

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Curricular and Instructional Studies-Secondary Education, 2009. / "August, 2009." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 9/30/2009) Advisor, Katharine D. Owens; Committee members, David N. Steer, Xin Liang, Catharine C. Knight, Nidaa Makki; Department Chair, Bridgie A. Ford; Dean of the College, Mark D. Shermis; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this project is two fold: (a) to evaluate the technology (hardware and software) of the student response system (SRS) used at Brigham Young University (BYU) and (b) to evaluate which instructional methods being used with the SRS students' feel are most helpful. In the past, the student response systems supported by BYU have not fully met the needs of professors and problems with the systems have limited professors' uses of the SRS. Ten professors were randomly selected to participate in the evaluation using a stratified random sampling technique. The data collection methods consisted of classroom observations, interviews with the ten selected professors, focus groups with students in the professors' classes, a student survey, and a professor survey. Data were collected throughout Winter semester 2007. The new system, iClicker, functioned well for the majority of professors. Some technical problems were encountered, but professors were typically able to resolve them as they gained more experience with the system. The most frequently stated problem for professors was with iGrader, which limited some professors' uses of the system. Students, however, experienced few technical problems with their clickers. The most frequent problem cited from students was the clicker shutting off easily. Students were generally positive about the helpfulness of the instructional methods professors were using. The instructional method students found most helpful was receiving immediate feedback. They also felt their comprehension of course material, attendance to lecture, attentiveness/engagement during lecture, participation in lecture, and achievement in the course had increased from using the SRS. However, a significant factor in students' perceptions of the clicker's helpfulness was the cost of purchasing the clicker. The least positive students felt that the cost of purchasing the clicker outweighed the benefits of using a student response system. These students rated the instructional methods as less helpful and rated their comprehension, attendance, engagement, participation, and achievement increasing less than those that felt the cost was worth the benefit.

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the effects of specific structured classroom activities and events on the cardiac rates of students in the classroom, (2) to determine whether or not there was a detectable difference in the cardiac rates of students involved in structured classroom activities and events and cardiac rates of students not so involved, and (3) to determine the effects on the cardiac rates of students involved in two techniques of attaining student involvement and attention to a classroom discussion or topic.

As educators, we are faced with the challenge of creating an effective classroom environment that stimulates creativity and fosters student learning through effective instruction. To assist teachers in meeting this challenge, this column provides information about current resources, programs, techniques, and strategies that teachers are using in their classrooms. By sharing these ideas, it is IRCJs hope to foster teacher growth and energize teacher performance.

As funding cuts increase (Field, 2011), there are more large lecture classes. One challenge faced by instructors of large lectures is formatively assessing all students in a timely manner. Student Response Systems, also known as “clickers,” provide a way for instructors to gather formative feedback from their students efficiently and effectively. The present study, guided by the General Model of Instructional Communication (Katt et al., 2009), examines the effect of clickers on instructor communicative traits in a large lecture setting. Using Structural Equation Modeling, analysis shows that perceptions of learning and engagement through clickers are related to perceptions of instructor communicative traits of socio-communicative style, caring, and nonverbal immediacy, as well as student affective and cognitive learning. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Department of Communication Studies

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / In an English as a second language (ESL) or English as a foreign language (EFL) class, special emphasis is often put on interaction and negotiation as a means of learning and understanding the language being taught (Long, 1981; Pica, 1994). However, student-student interaction as well as student-teacher interaction could be difficult to achieve in students who, for various reasons, avoid opportunities to practice their oral communication knowledge and skills with their peers and teachers. Student response systems (SRSs) are known to increase student achievement and/or interaction in a variety of grade levels in content domains such as math and physics. Students utilize individual hand-held devices, similar to television remote controls, to respond to multiple-choice questions. The public display of aggregate student responses allows for instantaneous feedback to the teacher and students through bar graphs or pie charts. This quasi-experimental mixed-method study investigates the effects of SRS use on student engagement, interaction, and achievement for three intermediate ESL grammar units in two adult higher education settings. Data were collected from five treatment groups using SRSs and five control groups not using SRS. Students' achievements and the robustness of their learning were quantitatively assessed through the analysis of their pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test grades. Qualitative data were also gathered in this study by using classroom video-taping and analyzing students' behavior in SRS and non-SRS classes. An independent samples T-test was conducted on the difference of post-test and pre-test scores in order to identify achievement, and on the difference of delayed post-test and post-test scores in order to determine whether students' learning is robust. Neither of these comparisons resulted in statistically significant differences between combined SRS and combined non-SRS classes. Results of the qualitative portion of the study revealed that students in the SRS classes paid more attention to the lecture and engaged in more discussion, and as a result student-student and student-teacher interaction was achieved. In conclusion, the results of this study reveal that SRSs have a positive impact when used to facilitate active learning strategies and promote interaction in the ESL classroom. These results provide evidence to support the claim that interaction and active learning are possible through the use of SRS-implemented instruction. From the results of the study, it is concluded that while the tool itself has had no statistically significant effect on students' immediate achievement, rather the study demonstrates that Student Response Systems provide the conditions necessary for form-focused student-to-student and student-to-teacher interaction . This active learning encourages the production of language, which can lead to achievement over time. / 2031-01-01

Instructional technologies can be effective tools to foster student engagement, but university faculty may be reluctant to integrate innovative and evidence-based modern learning technologies into instruction. It is important to identify the factors that influence faculty adoption of instructional technologies in the teaching and learning process. Based on Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, this quantitative, nonexperimental, one-shot cross-sectional survey determined what attributes of innovation (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) predict the probability of faculty adopting the audience response system (ARS) into instruction. The sample for the study consisted of 201 faculty who have current teaching appointments at a university in the southeastern United States. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the attributes of innovation that predict the probability of faculty adopting the ARS into instruction. The data indicated that the attributes of compatibility and trialability significantly predicted faculty adoption of ARS into instruction. Based on the results of the study, a professional development project that includes 3 full days of training and experiential learning was designed to assist faculty in adopting ARS into instruction. Because the current study only included the faculty at a single local university, future studies are recommended to explore a more holistic view of the problem from different institutions and from other stakeholders who may contribute to the process of instructional technology adoption. The project not only contributes to solving the local problem in ARS adoption, but it is also instrumental in promoting positive social change by fostering evidence-based teaching strategies and innovations that maximize student learning.

The current study sought to extend knowledge on effectiveness of Electronic Response Systems (ERS) or “clickers” in a college classroom by comparing student assessment performance between two sections (n = 41 & 42) of a Biblical Studies course in a small evangelical university. Student characteristics were virtually identical in the classes, taught by the same instructor. In one section, the instructor used ERS two to four times a week to administer quizzes or start discussions. Results showed no statistically significant evidence of improved performance in the ERS class, measured on a wide variety of assignment, quiz, and exam scores, including pre-test/post-test improvement in knowledge. Gender, prior GPA, and other demographic differences did not interact with the manipulation. It was speculated that use of ERS may have failed to make a difference in the current study because the system was not used frequently enough or for engaging activities, or because the use of ERS in a small class may not have provided benefits beyond the usual class experience. Interestingly, however, a student survey given at the beginning and end of the semester showed that students in the ERS class significantly improved their opinion of the system, indicating that they felt they had performed better as a result of using the clickers. (Students’ opinions in the control class declined.) Thus, students believed that ERS had improved their performance, although objectively it had not. It was concluded that relying on student opinions on the benefits of ERS may be misleading. / Department of Educational Studies