Assessment tool or edutainment toy

The use of Clickers as a tool for library instruction has been growing in popularity because library instructors view this technology as a mechanism to foster interactivity within library instruction sessions in order to increase overall student engagement. However, a newly emerging area of interest for library instructors is the use of Clickers as a tool for library instruction assessment. This paper posits some of the viewpoints of various instructors using Clickers including the viewpoints of library instructors. The central question considered in this paper is whether Clickers are an effective and feasible tool for library instruction assessment. This examination extends further in considering the value of Clicker systems against the value of traditional paper-based methods for library instruction assessment. An example of a substantial library instruction assessment initiative at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries is provided as a case for consideration of the current feasibility of Clicker systems for library instruction assessment. Additionally, differing configurations for Clicker systems are outlined as are various alternatives to Clickers currently available in the interest of presenting scalable options for library instructors. Introduction The use of Personal Response Systems (Clickers) for classroom instruction has been a subject of debate in the field of education. Many educators view these devices as a tool to foster interactivity in the classroom as well as a tool to measure student learning and comprehension. Others view these devices as a source of distraction for students that hinders their engagement in the classroom. The use of Clickers for classroom instruction requires financial resources as well as time and energy for instructors and students to learn how to use them. The time and money required to use Clickers in library instruction may not always prove feasible in cases where instructors have a very limited amount of time with students already. However, Clickers have potential as an effective tool for measuring the achievement of student learning outcomes in library instruction, even if they are not the only tool or method available for doing so. Scalable Options for Clickers There exists a variety of vendors who supply Clicker systems as well as a variety of configuration models for Clicker systems. In regard to the configurations of Clicker systems, there are currently three major types of configurations that can be employed. The most common configuration is a classroom set whereby the students purchase or are provided the answer keypad devices while the instructor maintains responsibility for the classroom response receiver and the Clicker system software. This configuration is appears to be the option most widely utilized by instructors but there is variation in regard to whether instructors opt to purchase a classroom set of response devices for their students to use or mandate that students purchase their own response devices. There also exists a configuration whereby response devices are entirely Web-based and use of a physical response receiver is not required. Such a system allows students to provide responses through a proprietary virtual response pad which eliminates the need for physical response devices. This option supports the utilization of Clickers in Web-based instruction which particularly benefits library instruction for students taking Distance Education courses. This option requires the purchase of individual licenses or an institutional site license to the virtual system. An example of this configuration can be seen with the TurningPoint system’s ResponseWare Web model.1 Additionally, there exists a configuration which is entirely based on physical response devices whereby an instructor has a master device which can poll students and receive responses from student devices. This option removes the need for access to the Internet as well as a projector for utilizing a Clicker systems thereby 2008 Library Assessment Conference 530 allowing for use anywhere as opposed to within a classroom setting. An example of this configuration can be seen with the TurningPoint system’s ResponseCard Anywhere model.2 Clickers versus Alternative Polling Methods In his publication “Clickers or Flashcards: Is There Really a Difference,” Nathaniel Lasry reports on the results of a comparison of Clickers versus Flashcards on student learning contending that Clickers do not provide any additional learning benefit to students.3 He further claims that Clickers are more beneficial for the teaching side than for learning side of education. Moreover, he provides examples of how Clickers add value to teaching from their ability to automatically record and archive student response data. However, he also acknowledges the cost Clicker use can potentially add for instructors stating that “the capital expense for the purchase of clickers and related hardware may not be available, and passing the expense on to the students may not possible or desirable.”4 Clickers are a popular method for polling students but there are other methods in addition to flashcards which are less costly. There are polling capabilities in a variety of Web-based tools which can be utilized in the classroom. A very simple approach would be to utilize blogs for polling such as WordPress, which has a polling feature. Another simple approach would be to utilize a Web-based survey tool for polling such as SurveyMonkey. Also, many of the classroom management software applications that are commonly used for library instruction include basic polling capabilities as well. SynchronEyes and DyKnow are but a few examples of such applications that include polling capabilities. Probably the most significant polling alternative which could substitute for Clicker use is a Web-based application called Poll Everywhere which can be used within and outside of PowerPoint and provides students the option to answer polling questions through text messaging or through the Poll Everywhere Web site.5 The significance of Poll Everywhere is that it is the first polling application allowing students to answer questions with their cell phones by text message. Clickers as a Tool for Library Instruction Assessment If the results reported by Nathaniel Lasly hold true, than Clickers cannot be shown to be a more effective instrument for aiding student learning but can be shown to add value in archiving student response data. This latter function could potentially add significant value in the area of student learning assessment. As such, a key question emerges as to the value of Clickers as a tool for assessing library instruction. The expense consideration outlined by Nathaniel Lasly impacts library instructors especially as the opportunity they have for utilizing Clickers is significantly lower than instructors who have exposure to their students for an entire academic term. The relatively small window of opportunity for Clicker use within a very limited amount of library instruction sessions for individual courses makes the option of passing the expense for Clicker device purchases on to students rather unfeasible for library instructors. As such, libraries typically bear the expense of purchasing Clickers for use in library instruction. This greatercost–and-less-use scenario positions libraries to have a greater need for considering the value added to library instruction from the use of Clickers against the costs. In their publication “Clicking your way to library instructional assessment,” Suzanne Julian and Kimball Benson focus on the value of Clickers for gathering assessment data.6 Interestingly, the authors acknowledge that their discovery of the value of Clickers for library instruction assessment was rather serendipitous noting that their original intention was to increase interaction and student engagement in library instruction sessions. The authors highlight the major benefits of using Clickers for library instruction offering that this technology allows for automatic tabulation of student responses which provides a means of instant assessment of class strengths and weaknesses as well as a means to analyze teaching effectiveness. While the authors report that their overall experience with using Clickers within library instruction was positive, they also caution that instructors need to carefully evaluate whether Clicker use adds to the quality of instruction noting that technology such as this can serve as a source of distraction for students. Concern over the extent of class time and student attention devoted to the use of Clickers is common for library instructors. An instance of this concern can be seen in the article “Interactivity in Library Presentations Using a Personal Response System,” whereby Evelyne Corcos and Vivienne Monty acknowledge that this technology can require 15 minutes of setup time in a class session.7 However, similar to Suzanne Julian and Kimball Benson, the main contention for Evelyne Corcos and Vivienne Monty is that the