Welcome to our presentation on the wireless system:

 

·       The wireless system we use is the Classroom Performance System (cps). It uses “cps-pads”. We will pass out about 30 pads. Please share the pad with your neighbors. At the end our assistants (Kevin Nelson and Xubing Zhou) will collect them. 

·       Several students from Art Woods’ class will be present. We appreciate their participation. Their cps-pads may also be used for this presentation. You might want to talk to them about their classroom experience with the system.

·       Reference: On our campus, Classtalk (a wired system) is the precursor of the present wireless system. A useful website is the Classtalk homepage http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~ctalk/ . See “Instructions on the wireless system for classroom teaching” (in Part IV).

·       For further information please contact us through email:

o     “Charles Chiu” <chiu@physics.utexas.edu>

o     “Art Woods” <art.woods@mail.utexas.edu>

 

A Wireless System for Classroom Teaching

 

 

 by

 

Charles B. Chiu

 

Department of Physics

 

 

and

 

 

H. Arthur Woods

 

School of Biological Sciences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be presented on March 25, 2002  in Pai 4.42

 

 

Wireless system a new teaching tool:

 

·       Spring 2002: Biology 301M  AW (First use at UT)

·       Summer 2002: Physics 303L  CC

·       More system will be available in Fall 2002:

o     Pai 2.48  and  Pai 4.42,

o     auditoriums (in planning) RLM4.102, Wel 3.502

o     …

č We would like to show you how the system works. So that in the future,  you may consider the possibility of using the system in your teaching. 

 

Special thanks to:

·       Mel Oakes: Encouragement and advice to us in going from  Classtalk (a precursor wired system) to the wireless system.

·       Kevin Nelson: Investigation on computer related problems in going from Classtalk system to the wireless system. 

·       Deans’ office of CNS:

o     : Hardware and installation (Thanks to Kurt Bartelmehs, Scott Chapman and the team)

o     Michael Marder:  Personal interest and support.

·       Educational Advancement Foundation (Harry Lucas, Jr.)

·       Thanks to Woods’s students for their participation.


Use of CPS system in current symmeter (by AW)

 

Demonstration of the CPS system

·       A Mendelian genetics question

 

Three kinds of questions that I pose in class

·       Problem solving questions

·       Fact or process questions

·       Opinion/belief questions.  It is possible to get results anonymously by having students swamp clickers with their neighbors.

 

The two main advantages of CPS

·       CPS provides instant feedback to the instructor.  This feedback can give surprising and informative information what the students do and do not understand.

·       CPS provides instant feedback to the students.  This feedback has the dual advantage of keeping the students engaged and letting them know where they stand with respect to their fellow students.

 

What my students think about the CPS system. 

 

Click here to see the results of a 7-question survey that I posed to my class on March 6, 2002.

 

 

Overview on use of the wireless-system (by CC)

 

Interactive quiz(IQ) sessions:

·       Encourage full participation in the class -- Interaction with neighbors.

·       A collection of IQ-questions on the web – IQ library

·       Typical questions:

o     Related to demos

o     Reinforce concepts and problem-solving-skills

 

Beneficial practically in all classroom teaching:

Common lecture technique: Q/A pauses

o     A pause breaks the monotony of a straight lecture.

o     It helps to emphasize important points.

o     It “shifts gears” and further captures students' attention. 

Wireless system:

·       Anonymous response encourages full participation of the class.

·       Bar-graph: Feed back to instructor

o     Monitors students’ understanding.

o     Hi-tech’s way to make our teaching more accountable.

·       Students’ perspective: Show where he/she stands with respect to the rest of the class.

·       Class record: Computer keeps a record of classroom participation. This information may be used as a part of students’ grade. 


 

Cost of the system
 
Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with the cps-company. We promote the use of wireless technology on the grounds of its educational merits. 

 

Cost to UT:

·       Classroom up to100 seats: One receiver(~$250)

·       Classroom up to 200: Hub + 2 receivers (~$1000)

·       Larger lecture hall (tested up to 500)

o     1 hub + more receivers (up to 4)

o     2 hubs + more receivers, hubs.

     Cost to a student: A student needs to purchase a pad,

     which can be used in all classes with wireless system:

·       ~ $32 dollars + tax for a new user. Sell back ~$15.

·       ~ $10 dollars for a continued user (pad-owner) per semester.

Logistics

 

Student registration: For each class in which the wireless system is used, the student needs to register on the web: 

·       Each pad has a unique Pad ID

·       Each class has a unique Class ID

·       Web registration:

o     Student’s input: Class ID, Pad ID

o     Web returns a response number for this student in the specified class.

 

Automated central system to coordinate operations:

·       Advanced registration: Instructor informs the central system in advance of his/her intention of using the system.

·       Class-folder: Based on student registration information the central system provides a class-folder on the desktop for the instructor.

·       Class record: Based on class participation data, the central system posts and updates the class record on the web.

 

 

Next step

 

CNS-Dean’s office hopes that in the near future, many instructors in our college who want to use this technology, will be able to use it.

CNS-Dean’s office needs faculty’s input to decide what subset of CNS rooms should have this technology installed. If you are interested in using this technology in your teaching, please contact Jeff Brumfield.

 

If you are interested in using this technology in the classroom where the system will be available (e.g. Pai 2.48, and Pai 4.42; in planning RLM 4.102, Wel 3.502 …)  , please contact us:

·       “Charles Chiu” <chiu@physics.utexas.edu>, or

·       “Art Woods” <art.woods@mail.utexas.edu>

 

There are a number of you, who are not in CNS. We appreciate your coming. We encourage you to explore the option of using this technology with your administrator(s). We will be available to provide you further information and get you started. You may contact us through email.

 

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Reference: “Instructions on wireless system for classroom teaching” (in Part IV, http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~ctalk/).