4_2: Mayer Clickers In Large Lecture Classes

Question 1

What are the key concepts in what we read

Answer 1

Clicker use in classroom

Question 2

What questions did the authors set out to answer

Answer 2

1. Can questioning be used to foster generative learning in a large lecture class?
2. Generative learning: active processing in the learner (cognitively active process)
   1. Selecting relevant material from a lesson
   2. organizing the selected material in a coherent represent
   3. integrating info with existing knowledge

Question 3

How did the author(s) go about studying their research question(s)?

Answer 3

Method**
- Participants: psych over 3 years
- Control group: no technology or group questions (year 1) hypothesis they do worse bc they got no questioning at all
- clicker group - clicker used to manage group questioning (year 2 )
- No-clicker group- group questioning w/o clicker (year 3)

Method cont**
1. 2-4 multiple choice questions per lecture on content
2. Exams
- 1/3 questions were similar to clicker questions
- 2/3 of the questions were dissimilar

Procedure **

Across groups
- same reading, lecture, professor
- different years

Manipulation**
- Control class was asked if they had questions
- Clicker class spent 5-10 min. per lecture on questions
- No-clicker class responded on paper at the end of lecture or a section of lecture

Question 4

What did they find

Answer 4

overall The year that used clickers in class out performed the no clicker and control group in exams and received higher grades. The no clicker and control groups yielded the same results

1. Exam performance - # of items correct on exams: (Dissimilar questions yielded the same results
   
   1. Clicker > No-Clicker
   2. Clicker > Control
   3. No clicker = control
2. Average grades
   
   1. Clicker : B
   2. No-clicker: B-
   3. Control: B-

No Clicker = Control…Why?
- Clickers were able to support the instructional method (asking questions and getting feedback)
- Clicker use was seamless within the lecture
- paper and pencil questions were more disruptive

Question 5

Why should we care?

Answer 5

Active processing is important in classrooms

Question 6

If generative learning is critical, which group should perform worst? (Control, Clicker, No Clicker)

Answer 6

The control group would perform the worse because they are not utilizing clickers and they do not have any discussions on questions that would help enhance their understanding

Question 7

Whats the mechanism? (of asking a clicker question)

Answer 7

Questions/feedback encourage active cognitive processing in 3 ways

1. Before answering, Ss may be more attentive
2. While answering - Ss may work hard to organize and integrate material
3. After feedback - Ss may develop metacognitive skills for gauging their understanding

Question 8

Method VS Medium

Answer 8

• instructional method: asking questions
• instructional medium: using a clicker

Mayers methodology explores variation in both

Question 9

What were the limitations of the study?

Answer 9

• Novelty
• Research bias (bc the prof that taught the class conducted the experiment)
  
  • Thought no clicker = control was unexpected
• Confounds
  
  • Differing incentives across conditions (control groups got no points for attendance)
  • Time to carry out treatment (no clicker took the most time)

Question 10

Mayer et. al , examined questioning in college classes and found that it improve exam performance when____

Answer 10

When managed with clickers

Question 11

Which activities is/are part of what Mayer refers to as “generative learning”?

Answer 11

• selecting relevant material from the lesson
• organizing the selected material into a coherent representation
• integrating the representation with existing knowledge

Question 12

Def: Generative learning

Answer 12

active processing in the learner (cognitively active process)
1. Selecting relevant material from a lesson
2. organizing the selected material in a coherent represent
3. integrating info with existing knowledge