About "Clickers" or Personal Response Systems

"A group of UC Davis instructors and staffers, wrapping up their review of five 'personal response systems' or 'clickers' for use in classrooms, has recommended the Interwrite system for the 2006-07 academic year." Read the full article.

What is a Personal Response System?

In a classroom, each student has a "clicker", a small wireless keypad. With this pad, students enter answers to questions presented by the instructor. The instructor's laptop has a receiver attached, which collects the answers. This interaction gives instructors immediate feedback about the subject being taught. Other uses include taking attendance and giving quizzes.

Getting the equipment

Students: buy clickers from the UCD Bookstore.
Instructors: tell the Bookstore which classes will use clickers and estimated enrollment, to get a receiver and software.
Support

• Vendor: Their web site offers online tutorials and technical support.
• UCD Bookstore: send ordering questions to: textbooks@ucdavis.edu.
• Academic Technology Services can provide limited troubleshooting and arrange demonstrations. Send questions to ats@ucdavis.edu.
• Academic Technology Services programming teams are currently investigating the ability to migrate the PRS rosters into SmartSite. This page will be updated when additional information is available. Please contact Kirk Alexander (kdalex@ucdavis.edu) if you have further questions.