87th AMS Annual Meeting

Tuesday, 16 January 2007: 4:45 PM
Web-based responder system for the geosciences
206B (Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center)
Perry J. Samson, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; and B. Van der Pluijm and S. Teasley
This session will provide a live demonstration of a wireless responder system developed to facilitate peer instruction and expanded discourse in large introductory geoscience classes. While a growing number of campuses use responder systems this system adds the ability to explore spatial and image-based questions and to engage students in interactive simulations and explorations in class.

The system allows the instructor to select questions to pose, either in a textual format similar to many responder systems or based on any web-based image from a web page, and pose a question about the image. Students receive an image and respond by identifying a spot on the image. The instructor has the option of displaying all responses.

Hand-in-hand with the new technology peer instruction techniques are being tested to explore how the combination expands student learning opportunities and class dynamics. Posed questions are revisited after an initial individual response with an opportunity for discussion in small groups. This presentation reports on lessons learned and serves as an invitation for others to participate.

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