used to make groups based on tests
and benchmarks. I now form groups
within the context of their learning
that day. Best of all, the students react
positively to responders because they
don’t feel like they are being tracked.
The responders also enabled me to
reach students while they were independently engaged in their learning.
For example, in science my students
make rubber-band cars, change variables, and observe how the cars react.
Instead of floating around the room
checking cars and glancing at written
data, I can monitor students’ progress on my tablet. I immediately get
to the students whose data shows me
they need help, or if a student has a
question, it can be sent through the
responder, allowing the learner to do
more than sit passively with a hand up.
To prepare for engaged learning
like this, I simply create an answer
key using the responder software
and my own curriculum. It’s simple
and low prep. You can use this same
method using a web-based app, such
as Google Forms, if each student has
his or her own device.
Improved Student Achievement
Last year, our district was second
from the bottom in per-pupil funding
in the state. Despite low funding and
a lack of extra services, our sixth
grade students have for the past several years placed in the top seventh percentile for math in Minnesota, USA,
as shown by a state standardized test
known to have higher standards than
the Common Core State Standards. I
attribute this success to the use of responsive engagement.
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What about Tablets?
As educators have become more
focused on tablets and 1: 1 initiatives,
I’m often asked if I prefer tablets or
responders (through another grant,
I have eight iPads in my room). To
increase student achievement scores,
I prefer my responders due to the instant feedback, ease of use, and teacher control. For creativity and projects,
I lean toward the iPads. It’s all about
using the right tool for the job.
When results are compared to
price, you can’t beat clickers. They’re
a great value if you use them to engage
learning. But for teachers who already
have a classroom set of iPads or whose
students bring their own devices, I
encourage them to explore the many
apps and free web resources that have
similar functionality.
Final Thought
Remember the story of the teacher
whose students each raised their
hands when the principal observed?
The difference between that method
and the use of instant data (besides
pulling a fast one on the principal)
is that I can tell who doesn’t know
the answer, and I can immediately
help students within the context of
their learning. This is the primary
advantage that instant data brings
to the learning process: the ability
to achieve responsive engagement.
—Brian Wickenheiser has made a focus of combining research-based teaching practices and
technology and is driven to help others raise
student achievement. He teaches sixth grade
math and science in Esko, Minnesota, USA.
To increase student achievement scores, I prefer my responders
due to the instant feedback, ease of use, and teacher control.
For creativity and projects, I lean toward the iPads.
It’s all about using the right tool for the job.
