Spring 2013 Teaching and Learning Workshops: Clickers 2: Writing Good Clicker Questions April 23, 2013 Peter Newbury CC-BY

1. CTD WEEKLY WORKSHOPS:
CLICKERS 2: WRITING GOOD
CLICKER QUESTIONS
Peter Newbury
Center for Teaching Development,
University of California, San Diego
pnewbury@ucsd.edu @polarisdotca
ctd.ucsd.edu #ctducsd
resources: tinyurl.com/Clickers2Sp2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Center Hall, Room 316

2. Writing good clicker questions2

3. Writing good clicker questions3
student-centered instructiontraditional lecture

4. Writing good clicker questions4
student-centered instruction
peer instruction with clickers
interactive demonstrations
surveys of opinions
reading quizzes
worksheets
discussions
videos

5. Clicker Question
Writing good clicker questions5
The molecules making up the dry mass of wood that
forms during the growth of a tree largely come from
A) sunlight.
B) the air.
C) the seed.
D) the soil.
Question credit: Bill Wood

6. Typical episode of peer instruction
Writing good clicker questions6
Alternating with 10-15 minute mini-lectures,
1. Instructor poses a conceptually-challenging,
multiple-choice question.
2. Students think about question on their own.
3. Students vote for an answer using clickers,
smart phones, colored/ABCD voting cards,
Poll Everywhere,…
4. The instructor reacts, based on the
distribution of votes.

7. In effective peer instruction
Writing good clicker questions
 students teach each other immediately,
while they may still hold or remember
their novice preconceptions
 students discuss the concepts in their
own (novice) language
 the instructor finds out what the students know (and
don’t know) and reacts, building on their initial
understanding and preconceptions.
students learn
and practice
how to think,
communicate
like experts
7

8. Effective peer instruction requires
Writing good clicker questions8
1. identifying key concepts, misconceptions
2. creating multiple-choice questions that
require deeper thinking and learning
3. facilitating peer instruction episodes that
spark student discussion
4. resolving the misconceptions
before
class
during
class
today
next week

9. t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e
Clickers help students learn...
Writing good clicker questions9
BEFORE DURING AFTER
setting up
instruction
developing
knowledge
assessing
learning
Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

10. t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e
Clickers help students learn...
Writing good clicker questions10
BEFORE DURING AFTER
setting up
instruction
developing
knowledge
assessing
learning
Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

11. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions11
Melt chocolate over low heat. Remove the chocolate
from the heat. What will happen to the chocolate?
A) It will condense.
B) It will evaporate.
C) It will freeze.
(Question: Sujatha Raghu from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)
(Image: CIM9926 by number657 on flickr CC)
assess prior knowledge

12. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions12
In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on
the modern world?
A) coffee
B) tea
C) chocolate
D) spice
E) sugar
(Herbst, UCSD)
motivate

13. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions13
A leopard goes into a deep cave
where there is no light. After an
hour, can it see in the dark?
A) No because there is no light.
B) No because its eyes have not had enough time to
adjust.
C) Yes because its eyes have adjusted to the darkness.
D) Yes because leopards can see in the dark.
(Question: Paul Simeon from Braincandy via LearningCatalytics)
(Image: Villy at the “door” of his cave by Tambako the Jaguar on flickr CC)
provoke thinking

14. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions14
A ball is rolling around
the inside of a circular
track. The ball
leaves the track
at point P.
Which path
does the ball
follow?
P
A
B
C
D
E
(Mazur)
predict

15. t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e
Clickers help students learn...
Writing good clicker questions15
BEFORE DURING AFTER
setting up
instruction
developing
knowledge
assessing
learning
Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

16. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions16
How many of these are reasons for the seasons?
 the height of the Sun in the sky during the day
 Earth’s distance from the Sun
 how many hours the Sun is up each day
A) none of them
B) one
C) two
D) all three
probe misconception

17. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions17
Select the line that
you feel has the
strongest imagery in
“Fast rode the
knight” by Stephen
Crane (1905).
analysis
Fast rode the knight
With spurs, hot and reeking,
Ever waving an eager sword,
"To save my lady!"
Fast rode the knight,
And leaped from saddle to war.
Men of steel flickered and gleamed
Like riot of silver lights,
And the gold of the knight's good banner
Still waved on a castle wall.
. . . . .
A horse,
Blowing, staggering, bloody thing,
Forgotten at foot of castle wall.
A horse
Dead at foot of castle wall.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
(David Kurtz, via LearningCatalytics)

18. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions18
Which of the following is an incorrect step when using
the substitution method to evaluate the definite integral
A)
B)
 
4
0
32
1 dxxx
3
1 xu 
dxx
du 2
3

C.
D. none of the above

4
03
1
duu
(adapted from Bruff (2009))
evaluation

19. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions19
Susan throws a ball straight up into the air. It goes up
and then falls back into her hand 2 seconds later.
Draw a graph showing the velocity of the ball from the
moment it leaves her hand until she catches it again.
time
velocity
2 sec0
exercise skill
(CWSEI UBC)

20. time
velocity
2 sec0
A
time
velocity
2 sec0
B
time
velocity
2 sec0
C
time
velocity
2 sec0
D
E) some other graph
Which one is the closest match to your graph? exercise skill
(CWSEI UBC)Writing good clicker questions20

21. t h e l e a r n i n g c y c l e
Clickers help students learn...
Writing good clicker questions21
BEFORE DURING AFTER
setting up
instruction
developing
knowledge
assessing
learning
Adapted from Rosie Piller, Ian Beatty, Stephanie Chasteen

22. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions22
Which point on the phylogenetic tree represents the
closest relative of the frog?
A
B
C
D
E
(UBC CWSEI)
demonstrate success

23. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions23
For the data set displayed in the following histogram,
which would be larger, the mean or the median?
A) mean
B) median
C) can’t tell from the given histogram
(Peck, mathquest.carroll.edu/resources.html)
review / recap

24. Clicker question
Writing good clicker questions24
In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on
the modern world?
A) coffee
B) tea
C) chocolate
D) spice
E) sugar
“big picture”
(Herbst, UCSD)

25. What makes a good clicker question?
Writing good clicker questions25
clarity Students should waste no effort trying to figure
out what’s being asked.
context Is this topic currently being covered
in class?
connection to
learning goals
Does the question make students do the right
thing to demonstrate they grasp the concept.
distractors What do the “wrong” answers tell you about
students’ thinking?
difficulty Is the question too trivial? too hard?
stimulates
thoughtful
discussion
Will the question engage the students and
spark thoughtful discussions?
Is there potential for you to be “agile”?
(Adapted from Chasteen, CU Boulder)

26. Clicker question (History)
Writing good clicker questions26
In your opinion, which had the most positive impact on
the modern world?
A) coffee
B) tea
C) chocolate
D) spice
E) sugar
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

27. Clicker question (intro Astronomy)
Writing good clicker questions27
Which of these are reasons for the seasons?
i. the height of the Sun in the sky during the day
ii. Earth’s distance from the Sun
iii. how many hours the Sun is up each day
A) ii only
B) iii only
C) i and ii
D) i and iii
E) i, ii and iii
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

28. Clicker question (intro Astronomy)
Writing good clicker questions28
How many of these are reasons for the seasons?
the height of the Sun in the sky during the day
Earth’s distance from the Sun
how many hours the Sun is up each day
A) none of them
B) one
C) two
D) all three
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

29. Clicker question (Calculus)
Writing good clicker questions29
Evaluate:
A)
B)
(adapted from Bruff (2009))
 
4
0
32
1 dxxx
23
)65(16
9
16
C.
D.
)165(
9
2 23

3
1022
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

30. Clicker question (Calculus)
Writing good clicker questions30
Which of the following is an incorrect step when using
the substitution method to evaluate the definite
integral
A)
B)
 
4
0
32
1 dxxx
3
1 xu 
dxx
du 2
3

C.
D. none of the above

4
03
1
duu
(adapted from Bruff (2009))
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

31. Let’s try it…
Writing good clicker questions31
Gather around a whiteboard in groups of 2 – 3.

32. Clicker question (at driving school)
Writing good clicker questions32
Learning outcome: [after this lesson, you will be able
to] change lanes on a busy freeway.
While you’re writing it, think about
 what type of question is it? (predict, assess...)
 when would you present it? (before, during, after)
 critique your question for
clarity context learning goals distractors difficulty discussion

33. Next week: clicker choreography
Writing good clicker questions33
Peer instruction with clickers is new to your students, too.
They need clear directions about how to participate:
April 30: Clickers 1:
Introduction to Peer Instruction with Clickers
We never want a student wondering
what they’re supposed to be doing:
click, think, discuss, listen...?