Global publisher Macmillan’s new ventures group has released i>clicker2, an enhanced version of its student response system remote. The i>clicker2 aims to improve the learning experience for students and instructors, while maintaining simplicity and reliability.
i>clicker’s focus has been on simplicity and formative assessment, which are fundamental to the sound use of clickers in the classroom. Macmillan sought to improve on the original by boosting the active learning experience for students and meeting the needs of instructors in a wider range of disciplines and with varied teaching styles.
Through extensive research involving faculty, the i>clicker development team gathered the data to re-design i>clicker2, keeping the philosophy of a simple experience front and center. New features include:
- Full numeric and alphanumeric functionality in addition to the simple multiple-choice experience.
- An LCD screen with vote confirmation.
- A battery indicator, a simpler battery compartment, and fewer batteries.
- An enhanced instructor remote with a laser pointer.
Tim Stelzer, i>clicker inventor, said: “Our aim was to maintain what already had been successful while making the remote functionality more flexible and powerful for instructors in disciplines that use numeric entry. However, even with this additional functionality, i>clicker2 is just as easy to use. Students can still turn on their remotes and instantly vote, just as with the original remote.”
Research shows that instructors primarily use student response systems to ask multiple-choice questions, so the company was careful to maintain the 5-button A-E orientation. And, to eliminate confusion, the instructor has control over the response entry mode. This means that it is not possible for students to answer in alphanumeric mode inadvertently when a multiple-choice question is asked. Instructors and institutions will have the option to use either the existing i>clicker remote or i>clicker2 indefinitely.
i>clicker2 is beta testing in lectures across the country and will be available for purchase for Fall 2011.
