Enhancing Classroom Interactivity and Engagement: Online Student Response Program Click Racer

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1 Enhancing Classroom Interactivity and Engagement: Online Student Response Program Click Racer John W. Chang 張文光 Ka F. Wong 王格飛 University of Southern California USA 美國南加州大學 摘要 : 本篇報告介紹一個創新且互動性高的線上學習系統 Click Racer 很多教育學者視電子回應系統為輔助教師和學生之溝通的橋梁 然而, 很多早期的系統必需使用許多硬體設備 這個新的系統不需外接任何硬體, 只需一台電腦, 並透過網路即可連接 透過簡易的界面系統利用圖表來簡化資料蒐集和展示的過程 系統能立即從學生那邊蒐集答案, 學生和教師能隨即看到答案的結果並加以討論 藉著互動的遊戲和活動, 此系統能讓教學變得更活潑, 也能讓教師在上課時有效的評量學生的學習效果和意見, 更能增加學生的參與和互動 此外, 學生的回應或答案能夠用來當作日後教學 課程設計 和教學研究的重要指標 Abstract: This paper introduces the Chinese language classroom to an innovative and interactive online student response program, Click Racer. Electronic classroom response systems have been regarded by educators as potential bridges for the communication gaps between instructors and students. While earlier systems often required hard-wired equipment, Click Racer adopts a webbased portal that does not rely on any plug-in devices but simply an internet connection or a router. The new module also provides user-friendly graphics and instant tabulations of the responses while streamlining the complexity of data collection and display. The flexible and fun game helps instructors to achieve various pedagogical objectives, further enhancing classroom learning, interactivity, and engagement. 關鍵詞 : 線上回應系統 在線遊戲 即時評量 Keywords:Student Response System, Clicker, online game, in-class survey, assessment Introduction Chinese language educators have been pioneering online resources and teaching methods to improve students performances and learning experiences. One of the main challenges is how to effectively utilize the Internet to actively engage the new generation of technologically savvy and short-attention spanned students during lectures. Recent research shows that university students nowadays have an average attention span of less than ten minutes. Instructors face the challenge of continuously maintaining the students interest, and specifically for Chinese language courses, encouraging students to participate in classroom activities. Moreover, it is often difficult for

2 instructors to know how well the whole class understands the materials, apart from the few good students who usually raise their hands and answer questions. This paper introduces Click Racer, an innovative and user-friendly online student response system that holds great pedagogical potential for enhancing interactivity, engagement, and assessment in Chinese language classrooms. Our analysis begins with an overview of the student response system in the pedagogical context, followed by a discussion of the application and technical components of Click Racer. Finally, its significance and impact, along with a preliminary empirical assessment by participants, is examined. Overview of Student Response System or Clicker Technology is only worth using in the classroom, as Drapper (1998) aruges, when it addresses a specific instructional deficit. Many instructors at both large and small educational institutions have begun to use an audience response system or clicker that allows students to respond and interact through small, hand-held, remote keypad devices, and consequently, compensates for the passive, one-way communication inherent in lecture and the difficulty students experience in maintaining sustained concentration (Caldwell 2007). 1 Student response systems like clicker are certainly a simple technology that can improve traditional delivery (Draper 1998). Research literature generally praises their pedagogical advantages. 2 Students and instructors who have experience in using such systems are often enthusiastic about their positive effects on the classroom, asserting their great potential for bettering student learning (Beatty et al. 2006). Nevertheless, early systems relied on hard-wired devices that can be costly and difficult to use (Deal 2007). It is through exploring how an online version can overcome such problems, and how the format can fit into the curriculum of a Chinese language class, that the idea of Click Racer emerges. Introducing Click Racer Based on web 2.0 interface, Click Racer brings standard instructions and classroom activities into the digital age. The new online module, resembling the ask the audience portion of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, can be presented in a variety of formats such as game, survey, quiz, or discussion throughout the lecture. With Internet connection, Click Racer operates independently without any plug-in equipment, bypassing the problematic hardwire devices and clickers previously associated with such systems. Even without Internet access, the system is still functional with just a router, which then creates an interconnected local network among the users. 1 According to Deal (2007), Early student response systems were hard-wired into classrooms, with an input device at each seat in a lecture hall. Although one early example of a clicker had a single response button (Poulis et al. 1998), recent clickers usually have a 10-digit numeric keypad and some accessory buttons including a power switch, a send button, or function keys that permit text entry (Barber and Njus 2007). 2 Bransford, Brophy, and Williams (2000), for example, provide an excellent review on student response system and more advanced technologies, which they call CATAALSYT (Classroom Aggregation Technology for Activating and Assessing Learning and Your Students Thinking). Also, Bransford and colleagues praise student response system and the related pedagogy as one of the most promising technologies for transforming classrooms to be more learner-, knowledge-, assessment-, and community-centered (Bransford, Brophy, and Williams 2000; National Research Council 1999).

3 After students log onto the portal through their laptop computers or other similar electronic devices, the instructor can pose questions and solicit feedback from students at any point during the lecture. Each student will be assigned an icon (a specific animal in this case) when she or he logs onto the game site. The instructor then presents questions, generally but not limited to multiple choice, and asks students to key in their answers. The instructor can decide whether the students can see each other s icon on the presentation screen, as they race each other to reach the correct answer by click on it. The time allowed for each question can also be controlled (for example, 30 seconds). The correct answer is displayed after all students key in their answers or the time limit is reached. The display shows the icon that first answered correctly and thus the winner of this question. The system can gauge student understanding instantly with visual charts in real-time, showing the statistics of students answers. Based on such information, the instructor can determine whether she or he should move onto the next topic or question or further discuss the answer with the class. It is also possible for the responses to be saved and exported, serving as valuable data for future lesson planning, analysis, and research. The technical components and interactions of Click Racer are shown in Table 1. The system is compatible with many styles of questions that probe the student s overall Chinese proficiency, from basic character recognition to grammar-translation to listening comprehension and rejoinder. For example, a game question can be simply a term or a sentence, for which students select, among the provided choices, the most appropriate translation or pronunciation. It can also be a longer and more complex reading or audio passage, from which students choose the correct answers to the instructor s question. In fact, any multiple-choice or true-false types of questions that an instructor will usually ask in a test can be used in a Click Racer game. Further development will allow formats other than multiple-choice questions, for instance, activities and games that involve students typing and hence providing answers on their own.

4 Table 1: Technical Components and Interactions of Online Student Response System I) Instruction & Questioning Students log onto the assigned website () through laptop computers or cell phones, which can also automatically register attendance. Instructor presents concepts and materials, interspersed with slides asking for feedback from students during the lecture. Instructor can pose questions, in the form of a game, quiz and/or discussion topic and solicit responses II) Response & Display Students respond to the instructor s questions by keying in their answers, which are instantly tabulated, graphed, and displayed on the presentation slide III) Discussion & Analysis Instructor explains the results or asks students to discuss the responses in groups. This explanation and discussion can be followed with a second cycle of questioning, response, display, and discussion. Based on the students responses, instructor is able to determine whether she or he should spend more time IV) Data Management & Research The system can allow instructor to export and save response data for future analysis, evaluation, and research. The system may also integrate with course management systems, like Blackboard, to simplify the assessment

5 Significance of Click Racer in the Chinese Classroom Click Racer, being an exciting component of a student response system, transforms the Chinese classroom into an interactive and engaging learning environment. Keeping students interested and involved in lectures has always concerned many instructors. The flexible module is useful in tackling this issue. It can be used in numerous ways that can significantly enhance classroom experiences. For example: Sustain students attention by giving the class periodic games or exercises that relieve student fatigue and restart the attention clock. Conduct diagnostic assessments that evaluate students understanding of the lecture; check the preparedness of students on previous materials or assigned reading through short quizzes before the lecture with instant display of their performance. Manage classroom interaction through questioning key points, requiring interaction with peers, collecting votes after a discussion/debate, or offering a debriefing at the end. Determine future direction and pace of instruction, including the level of detail needed or whether students are ready to continue after working on a topic/problem. Allow students to assess their own level of understanding at the end of a class. The innovative online response system can be utilized in different Chinese courses with students of all levels. The positive impact that such technology has on classroom environments are well noted (Caldwell 2007; Deal 2007). Hence, the contributions of the system to Internet Chinese education are numerous. It can boost students active learning, encourage attendance, and increase enrollment. There is also no extra cost for both instructor and student to participate in the system. The technology itself is easily transferable within and readily accessible to all interested parties. Courses that include a lecture component can benefit from the system. The system may occupy either a peripheral or central role in class to serve the teaching goals and styles of the instructor. It can be used as a game or poll to increase interaction in standard lectures, requiring little alteration to the extant structure, sequence, or delivery of the lecture. It can be incorporated into part of a more radical change in teaching style toward primarily active learning (such as peer learning, debate, or other interactive activities). It holds the potential to serve the larger Chinese teaching communities and educational institutions. Preliminary Assessment of Click Racer Click Racer is a success with many of our Chinese classes. Both students and instructors who have used the game are enthusiastic about its pedagogical promise. Involving the whole class in a game, the instructor is able to instill interactivity and excitement in lectures and provide students with questions that probe their real understanding of the materials. The game was introduced to the first, second and third semesters of Chinese students at the University of Southern California in Fall 2010 and Spring 2011, with more than a hundred students

6 participating. Two post-game surveys were conducted in the last week of each semester, in January and April, 2011 respectively, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the game. The online survey includes quantitative and qualitative questions that probe the participants opinions of the game. The results (with 65 voluntary respondents) reveal that the game noticeably enhances students active learning, participation, and enjoyment of the classes compared to standard lectures and review activities. The survey shows that the majority of the students (75%) believe that it has a positive impact on their overall Chinese learning experiences. 95% (n=62) of the students consider the addition of this game makes the class more interactive ; 92% (n=60) of them think it makes the class more engaging, and 82% (n=53) of them want the Chinese program to further develop such a program. Since the prototype is a relatively simple design, the game seemingly needs refinement in order to accommodate more challenging features. Only about half 46% (n=30) of the students agree that the game is challenging. Accordingly, more complex questions in either answering format or difficulty level should be incorporated in the game if the instructor wants to make it more challenging for students. Certainly, a reliable Internet connection and program maintenance are very important to ensure the game runs smoothly; technical glitches can seriously hinder the effectiveness, as well as the excitement and enjoyment, of the game. A summary of the survey is shown in Table 2. Table 2: The Results of Click Racer Survey Question Yes No No Difference Compared to standard lecture or review activities, do you find the addition of this game makes the class more "engaging"? 92% n=60 3% n=2 5% n=3 Compared to standard lecture or review activities, do you find the addition of this game makes the class more "interactive"? 95% n=62 2% n=1 3% n=2 Compared to standard lecture or review activities, do you find the addition of this game makes the class more "challenging"? 46% n=30 20% n=13 34% n=22 Would you say the game has a positive impact on your overall Chinese language learning experience? 75% n=49 5% n=3 20% n=13 Do you want the Chinese program to further develop such a program? 82% n=53 3% n=2 15% n=10 The open question portion of the survey echoes the warm reception of the quantitative part. Click Racer is by and large deemed as fun and engaging. I d like to play that game more often, a student writes; it was fun and help[ful]. While a student notes that the competitive

7 nature of this game is quite fun. I enjoyed playing it with the class, another student maintains that Click Racer does a great job of engaging the class in the questions. The engaging aspect of the game is shared by many students, as one of them concurs: I found the activity to be engaging, and the game is useful to gauge my progress in understanding the material. 3 Still, others voice that more challenging and different types of questions are desirable. While indepth and long-term research is needed to better assess the new module, the general positive feedback is an encouraging indicator that Click Racer, and the student response system as a whole, can assume a vital role in online Chinese education in the future. Conclusion At the most basic level of implementation, a classroom response system can serve as a means for the instructor to monitor the classroom (Deal 2007). Of course, its potential far exceeds a mere monitoring device. Click Racer is in and of itself an excellent and objective assessment tool. The module can be used as an online test or quiz, through which students responses are instantly tabulated, recorded, and displayed. It also offers students themselves an opportunity to access how well they understand the lecture or materials. Meanwhile, it can be applied to class survey and polling, gathering student s opinions on the pace, effectiveness, style, or topic of the lecture. Click Racer enhances student participation, encourages whole class involvement, and enables the instructor to evaluate students understanding of the materials instantly, and therefore, ushers in a unique, exciting learning environment in the digital age of online Chinese education. References Allen, D., and Tanner, K. (2005). Infusing active learning into the large-enrollment biology class: Seven strategies, from simple to complex. Cell Biology Education 4, Barber, M., and Njus, D. (2007). Clicker evolution: Seeking intelligent design. CBE Life Science Education 6, 1-8. Bransford, J., Brophy, S., and Williams, S. (2000). When computer technologies meet the learning sciences: Issues and opportunities. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 21, 1, Burns, R.A. (1985). Information impact and factors affecting recall. Presented at Annual National Conference on Teaching Excellence and Conference of Administrations, Austin, TX, May 22-25, (ERIC Document No. ED ). 3 The complete comment of this student is as follows: I found the activity to be engaging. For me, personally, I prefer to do most of my learning independently, outside the classroom; then use class time as a way to gauge my progress in understanding the material, especially through frequent quizzing. I found this activity to be useful in that respect. As I go through my vocabulary, practicing the different pronunciations of the initials, finals, and tones; it is sometimes difficult to know whether I'm really getting everything right and if I could actually comprehend the language in practice. The [Click Racer] activity gave me that feedback, which I could only otherwise get from the instructor -- which is good, because the instructor can't give personalized feedback to everyone at the same time. The Mouse Mischief activity allows for this simultaneous feedback, making more efficient use of class time. I say develop the program, and implement a variety of topics: quizzes on tone comprehension, syllable comprehension, phrase comprehension- and using various text /pinyin /characters / pictures as the answer choices.

8 Caldwell, J.E. (2007). Clickers in the large classroom: Current research and best-practice tips. CBE Life Sciences Education 6: Deal, A. (2007). Classroom response systems. A Teaching with Technology White Paper. Retrieved on May 2008 from Draper, S. (1998). Niche-based success in CAL. Computer Education 30, 5-8. Draper, S.W., and Brown, M.I. (2004). Increasing interactivity in lectures using an electronic voting system. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 20: Middendorf, J., & Kalish, A. (1996). The change-up in lectures. National Teaching and Learning Forum 5, 2, 1-5. National Research Council. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Roschelle, J., Penuel, W. R., and Abrahamson, L. (2004). Classroom Response and Communication Systems: Research Review and Theory. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. San Diego, CA, Retrieved in June 2006 from ubiqcomputing.org/cataalyst_aera_proposal.pdf Telegraph, The. (2010). Students have 10 minute attention span. Retrieved in November 2010 from have- 10-minute-attention-span.html