DESIGNING A MOBILE CLICKER SYSTEM FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES
DESIGNING A MOBILE CLICKER SYSTEM FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

Summary/Abstract: In an effort to increase student participation and classroom interaction, universities are increasingly using student response systems which have been thoroughly investigated in terms of their educational value and potential. More often called clickers such systems enable students to answer questions through the use of handheld devices and can generate results in real-time. While traditional clicker systems with specialized hardware are still in use, contemporary systems utilize popular handheld devices such as phones and tablets. This paper presents an open-source clicker system that can be used in a classroom setting for anonymous polling using mobile phones. No financial costs are involved for students or universities since an institution’s existing network infrastructure is utilized. We provide justifications and discuss design principles and development considerations involved in the construction of the system which primarily aims to support the instructor by minimizing the time and effort required to use it in a classroom setting. A focus group evaluation of the system with experienced instructors provided positive feedback, as well as, valuable suggestions for further improvements.

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