Use of classroom response systems for formative assessment in natural resource courses

Abstract

Classroom response systems, i.e., clickers, increase student engagement and participation during class. Although they have many uses, clickers are particularly useful for encouraging student discussion and for formative assessment of student understanding. Clickers enable the instructor to rapidly gauge student understanding of the class topic and move discussion to points where students are having trouble. They also enable instructors to probe for common misconceptions about concepts, stimulate discussion concerning these misconceptions, and stimulate critical thinking in students in the process. I discuss my approach to using clickers for formative assessment and provide suggestions for effective use of clickers in the natural resource classroom. © 2011 by the Society of American Foresters.