119 MTSU ITS EXPERT DISCUSSES ‘CLICKER’ TECHNOLOGY OCT. 12

Date: Oct. 11, 2006

Editorial contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Chemistry seminar contact: Dr. Martin Stewart, 615-898-2073


(MURFREESBORO) — Albert C. Whittenberg, assistant director of MTSU Academic and Instructional Technology Services, will discuss “Turning Point: Student Response Systems Demonstration and Case Studies” at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, during the weekly chemistry seminar series in Davis Science Building Room 100.
Whittenberg has been part of “a committee testing a number of student response systems with the hopes of establishing a standard for MTSU,” he said. These response systems are called “clickers.”
“Of the many varieties of ‘clickers’ available, we tested Turning Technologies (TurningPoint), eInstruction, iClicker and HITT,” Whittenberg wrote in his abstract.
He added that each system was evaluated on a number of criteria, including: cost of clicker/receiver; ease of use; clicker size/weight/layout of keys; durability; battery use/life; license or registration process (fees); receiver (RF vs. IR); cross-platform connectivity (Mac and Windows); network capable (remote sites); and software features (and clicker feature).
“Although the committee initially only eliminated two of the clickers (eInstruction and HITT), this demonstration will focus only on the TurningPoint Clickers (iClicker is still considered a valid option on campus primarily for its use with the Macintosh),” he wrote. “The various steps to creating a presentation using TurningPoint will be shown along with the case studies given from other institutions that have used this product effectively.”
The case studies include Ohio State University, University of Maryland and University of Hawaii-Leeward Community College’s Educational Media Center.
Some MTSU faculty have begun implementing “clicker” technology into the classroom. The seminar is open to MTSU faculty, students and anyone interested in technology.

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Media welcomed.