Use in CSM Physics 200

Classroom communication systems were first used on the CSM campus during the spring semester, 2002. The PRS system was used in three lecture sections of PHGN 200, the second semester (electricity and magnetism) of a calculus- based introductory physics class. Class size ranged from 55 to 99, yielding a total of 236 students enrolled. These sections were taught by three different instructors, each with their own teaching style and each with previous teaching experience in this particular course. No supplemental training in pedagogical methods was provided and there was no effort to coordinate how the communicators were used.

Students each picked up their assigned transmitter when they entered class, leaving an ID or car keys as collateral. The instructors posed a variety of types of questions, including:

surveys of what topics the students would like to discuss further
problems to apply the material just discussed, to help students see applications;
problems to assess student understanding, to aid in pacing the class;
quizzes;
problems at the beginning of a class to refresh everyone’s memory about the previous class;
problems that would “walk” students through the multiple steps of solving a problem, bit by bit, to help both instructor and students discover any roadblocks to understanding.

One instructor constructed his lectures around a series of questions he felt would reveal to the students the most common misconceptions or stumbling blocks. All instructors used a variety of question sources, including those generated by themselves, published questions accompanying the textbook, questions patterned after homework problems, and questions from banks on the Internet.

The instructors also varied in how they used the data collected by the communicators. Sometimes the data provided “attendance points” (i.e., points were awarded for any answer entered), which contributed about 5% of their total grade. Other times, points were awarded for correctness of an answer. Still other times, no points were awarded; the instructor simply used the communicators to engage the class and gather useful information about how the class was doing.

A survey was administered to the students midway through the pilot semester, and the results were closely mirrored in the end-of-the-semester evaluations. Overwhelmingly, the students felt that the classroom communication systems provided an effective way for them to convey their understanding to their instructor, and the communicators proved to be effective in helping them to learn physics.

This graph reflects students' answers when asked on March 18, 2002, "Do the communicators provide accurate, valid feedback to the instructor about your understanding?". Overall, there were 83% yes and 17% no responses.

Also on March 18, 2002, students were asked, "Do you feel the use of the communicators was helping you learn physics?". Overall, 76% of the students in Physics 200 felt that the use of the communicators was helping them learn physics, while 24% did not.

Perhaps even more revealing were the comments students wrote in the survey when asked what they liked about the classroom communication systems. Here are a few representative examples:

“The professor can immediately see when the class does or doesn’t understand the material.”
“It makes me pay attention (my mental attendance improves).”
“It gives me a chance to check myself so I can assure my understanding of a topic.”
“It’s anonymous. I don’t feel embarrassed about not understanding something.”
“It helps me learn better. Very effective in aiding my learning.”

Since Fall, 2002, the Physics Department has used the classroom communicators more extensively, integrating their use into multiple courses, including Physics 100, 200, and 300.