Clickers in the hybrid classroom: It’s not just about the technology

What clickers provide is a way to rapidly collect and visually represent an answer to a question from every student; an answer for which all are individually accountable. This offers the professor and students swift, reliable feedback that can be used to clarify misconceptions of homework, class lectures or readings

This type of pedagogical tool:

i. Focuses students’ attention on what you, the instructor considers to be important ideas;

ii. Allows students to try applying ideas they just heard or read about- especially useful in a hybrid setting;

iii. Allows students to build or make connections between ideas or representations;

iv. Gives students an opportunity to analyze a (new) situation or context, and

v. Gets them thinking about how to ask questions (that is, it explicitly models the process of analyzing ideas or conclusions by asking questions and figuring out the answers).

vi. Makes students prepare for lecture sessions prior to coming to class because they are needing to be actively involved in the process