Using Clickers to Teach Critical Thinking

Carolyn Godfrey, RN, MSN, Associate Professor, Nursing

Randy J. Malta, Senior Instructional Designer, Center for Teaching & Learning

Jyoti Pande, Ph.D. Director, Center for Teaching & Learning

Nicholas D. Peppes, Professor, Business Administration/Economics

St. Louis Community College

Founded in 196329,000+ Credit students Fall 20104 campuses strategically located throughout

the St. Louis Metropolitan area.In the very north Florissant Valley

location, to the city's central corridor at Forest Park

, to the southwest area of the county at the

Meramec campus, to the burgeoning West County area our

Wildwood campus -Opened August 20073 Education Centers

St. Louis Community College

449 Full Time Faculty + 1,480 Adjunct Faculty

Clickers Classroom Response Systems, aka clickers, provide

a tool to engage students and assess knowledge. Instructors are able to ask objective and subjective

questions. Questions may come from the instructor or as part of a publisher’s textbook package.

Questions are displayed for each student to view and respond to with a remote control device.

A receiver picks up the student’s response and sends it to software loaded on a computer, providing instant feedback to instructor and student.

Clickers – Audience Response Systems•Radio frequency technology

•Two-way verification – Green Light

•Supports 1000 students per receiver

•Range – 200’ radius

Clickers – Audience Response Systems

Currently Using Clickers?

Yes N

o

50%50%1.Yes2.No

I am from

12%

12%

12%

12%12%

12%

12%

12%

Florida Southeast Northeast Midwest South Southwest Northwest West

1. Florida2. Southeast3. Northeast4. Midwest5. South6. Southwest7. Northwest8. West

You are

25%

25%25%

25%

Administra... Faculty Instructio... Support St...

1. Administration2. Faculty3. Instructional

Designer4. Support Staff

My age is

21-25 25-30

30-40 40-50

50-60 60-70

70+

14% 14% 14% 14%14%14%14%1. 21-252. 25-303. 30-404. 40-505. 50-606. 60-707. 70+

Participatory LearningParticipatory Learning

How many of you have desired to have more classroom interaction while still achieving the desired learning outcomes?

Desire to have more classroom interaction/engagement while still achieving the Learning Outcomes

33%

33%

33%

1. Yes2. No3. Maybe

Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively

and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness.

    It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue; assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions; implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and frame of reference.

- National Council on Critical Thinking

Goal•Given student response software equipment, participants will learn how to actively engage students with clickers.

Clicker AdvantagesEngaging

multiple learning styles

Increasing visual impact

Improving audience focus

Providing annotations and highlights

Analyzing and synthesizing complexities

Enriching curriculum with interdisciplinary

Increasing spontaneity and interactivity

Increasing wonder

Teaching with Classroom Response Systems: Creating Active Learning Environments Jossey-Bass, 2009 “If an instructor uses clickers only to take

attendance of give quizzes students often object to paying for a device just to make the instructors job easier. If, however an instructor uses the results of a clicker quiz to review the quiz with the students immediately after they take it, focusing on questions most missed by students and exploring popular incorrect answers, students see this as adding value to their learning experience and are more likely to see the clickers as useful.

• Derek Bruff, Assistant Director of Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching from Inside Higher Ed

Click It and Learn It

Objectives

• Demonstrate the use of clickers in a nursing course

• Discuss the impact clickers have on the development of critical thinking

• Explore the use of clickers in the ability to motivate and enhance a rich class discussion

OB Clicker Questions

Why use clickers?

• Review of content during class• Assess level of understanding• Review test items• Decreases fear of student responses –

anonymous• Engage students!

Are you a parent?

1 2

50%50%1. Yes2. No

What is the full gestation for a pregnant woman?

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%1. 40 weeks2. 36 weeks3. 32 weeks4. 28 weeks

Does the infant of a diabetic mom receive glucose from the mother’s breast milk?

1 2

50%50%

1. True2. False

Decreasing Fear of Responding

The physician explains to a 4 month pregnant woman and spouse that the baby will only live 10 minutes after

birth. Should the mother terminate this pregnancy?

1 2 3

33% 33%33%

1. Yes2. No3. I don’t know

Let’s Jump in to Critical Thinking!

New Blooms Taxonomy

• Remember -can the student recall or remember the information?

• Understand-can the student explain ideas or concepts?• Apply-can the student use the information in a new

way?• Analyze-can the student distinguish between the

different parts?• Evaluate-can the student justify a stand or decision?• Create-can the student create new product or point of

view?

The following illustration represents what fetal position?

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%• Frank breech• Complete breech• Footling breech• Flexed breech

You assess a newborn with a flat philtrum, short palpebral fissures, and the infant has a poor suck. The nurse interprets this as:

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%1. Congenital syphillis2. Turner’s syndrome3. Fetal Ortalini’s

syndrome4. Fetal alcohol

syndrome

Clinical Decision Making

A pregnant patient presents with the following condition below. Which of the following nursing

interventions should be implemented?

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%1. Assess cervical dilation2. Assist physician with

amniotomy3. Prepare for cesarean

section4. Prepare for amnioinfusion

List the proper meaning for the acronym “TORCH”

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%1. Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Hepatitis

2. Tetanus, Oxytocin, Rubella, Crepitus, Herpes

3. Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes

4. Tetanus, Omphalocele, Rubella, Celestone, Hydradenitis

Analyzing Data

The postpartum nurse reviews the most recent magnesium levels on a patient. Which of the following levels would

most concern the nurse?

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%

1. 5.0 mg/dL2. 10.5 mg/dL3. 4.5 mg/dL4. 8.5 jg/dL

What must I do FIRST?

The nurse performs an assessment on this newborn. What should the nurse perform 1st?

1 2 3 4

25% 25%25%25%1. Obtain blood cultures2. Assess bilirubin level3. Obtain PKU specimen4. Assess fontanels

Nurse’s in YOUR Future Must:

• Prioritize• Delegate• Analyze• Critically think• Self-reflect• Be SAFE practitioners

After attending this session do you desire to use clickers in your classroom for interaction/engagement while still achieving your Learning Outcomes

33%

33%

33%

1. Yes2. No3. Maybe

Clicker ResourcesTeaching with Classroom Respo

nse SystemsBy Derek Bruff

Turning TechnologiesEclickerPoll Everywherehttp://www.wku.edu/teaching/b

ooklets/clickers.html