In recent years, clickers have become increasingly popular in classrooms as a way to engage students and promote active learning. Clickers are small, handheld devices that allow students to answer multiple-choice questions posed by the instructor. Research has shown that clickers can improve student performance, but the mechanisms behind this improvement are not fully understood.
One possible explanation for the benefits of clickers is that they encourage peer discussion. When students are asked to discuss a question with their peers before answering, they are able to benefit from the different perspectives and knowledge of their classmates. This can lead to a deeper understanding of the material and improved performance on clicker questions.
To investigate the role of peer discussion in clicker-based learning, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley conducted a study with over 100 undergraduate students enrolled in a physics course. The students were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a clicker-only condition or a clicker-with-discussion condition.
In the clicker-only condition, students were simply asked to answer clicker questions without any prior discussion. In the clicker-with-discussion condition, students were asked to discuss the question with their peers for a few minutes before answering.
The results of the study showed that students in the clicker-with-discussion condition performed significantly better on clicker questions than students in the clicker-only condition. This suggests that peer discussion plays an important role in the benefits of clicker-based learning.
The researchers also found that the benefits of peer discussion were greatest for students who were struggling with the material. This suggests that peer discussion can help to level the playing field and give all students a chance to succeed.
There are a number of things that instructors can do to encourage peer discussion in the classroom. Here are a few tips:
* Use clickers to pose open-ended questions that require students to think critically. This will encourage students to discuss the questions with their peers in order to come up with answers.
* Give students time to discuss the questions before they answer. This will allow students to have a meaningful conversation about the material and to come to a consensus on the best answer.
* Encourage students to share their thoughts and ideas with the class. This will help to create a collaborative learning environment and will allow all students to benefit from the different perspectives of their classmates.
* Be sure to listen to the students' discussions and to provide feedback. This will show students that you value their input and that you are interested in their learning.
Peer discussion is a valuable tool that can help to improve student performance on clicker questions. By encouraging peer discussion in the classroom, instructors can help to create a more engaging and effective learning environment for all students.
