Clicker Use as an Instructional Strategy: Effects on Student Engagement and Achievement in a College-Level Digital Literacy Course
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Authors
Sheikh, Abul Kalam
Issue Date
2013-05-07
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Abul Sheikh , Clickers , Personal Response System (PRS) , Student Response System , Student achievement , Classrooms--Clicker Effectiveness in , Clickers--Digital Literacy , Colleges--Southern States--Georgia--United States , Rural--Georgia , Student--diversity , Colleges--Open Access Admissions
Alternative Title
Abstract
This study sought to determine the impact of clicker use as an instructional
strategy on student engagement and achievement in a college-level digital literacy course
taught in face-to-face classroom settings. This was also an attempt to explore students’
learning experiences and attitudes toward instruction utilizing clicker technology-based
strategies. This study was conducted in a public college with an open-access admission
policy in the rural South. The college has a significant racially and ethnically diverse
student population. The students’ levels of preparation to enter college are just as diverse,
and there is a large number of learning support students. This course, under study, does
not have any prerequisite, allowing learning support students to enroll in this course
along with everyone else, causing a challenge to teach this course effectively.
Eight classes were selected where students were already pre-registered, resulting
in convenience sampling. This study used quasi-experimental control group time series
design. Concentration was more focused on the internal validity of this study rather than
the generalizability of its findings over the student population at a different institution
that may be vastly different. Data collection continued throughout the duration of a
semester. Students’ academic achievement was measured using a series of assessments.
Students’ learning experiences and attitudes toward learning were measured using data,
collected through survey instruments. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, effect
size, t-test of independent samples, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA)
were used for data analysis. Content analysis technique was used to identify trends and
themes in qualitative data collected through open-ended survey items.
Findings of this study revealed that the academic achievement of students in the
group that was taught with extensive use of clicker technology was higher than the
students in the group that was taught using traditional methods. It also revealed that the
students who were taught with extensive use of clicker technology reported that they had
substantially positive learning experiences. Furthermore, the results revealed that the
students who were taught using instructional strategies focused on extensive use of
clicker technology demonstrated a more positive attitude toward learning than students
who were taught using traditional methods. Overall, the results suggested that frequent
feedback through clicker technology is more effective in circumstances where improved
understanding of the current topic is essential to establish a good foundation for the next
learning experience. Future research can be done to explore this suggestion in further
details.
Description
A Dissertation submitted by Abul Sheikh to the Graduate School Valdosta State University in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in the Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology of the Dewar College of Education