David Hotler's Action Research

Instruction begins with the introduction of a problem; learning starts with the presentation of a real world problem; students, provided with instructor's guidance and resource material, are encouraged to dive into the problem, construct an individual understanding and finally find an answer to the problem.

This is a case study found on Prometean's site about the ActivClassroom. Thanks Kate!

"This study investigated the use of a student response system (SRS) on the participation, classroom behavior, and academic achievement of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The purpose of this research was to determine if using an SRS, in place of typical classroom methods of student response, would generate increases in participation in students who characteristically display low levels of class involvement. Participants included 5 high school students receiving academic instruction predominately in a self-contained setting for students with EBD. Subjects chosen for participation were identified as frequently being off task and distracted during class and as having generally low response and participation rates during class sessions. A single-subject, ABABC design was used to determine a functional relationship between the SRS and student response and engagement. Results indicate a strong association between SRS use and increased student response; however, a clear link to increased task engagement was not evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"

"Student response system (SRS) technology is one of many tools available to help instructors create a rich and productive learning environment. David J. Radosevich, Roger Salomon, Deirdre M. Radosevich, and Patricia Kahn describe a study designed to measure the effect of an SRS on student interest and retention. Two sections of an undergraduate management class participated in this study. Section 1 served as a control group by participating in a typical class without SRS; section 2 used SRS throughout the semester to facilitate active learning. Results indicate that although the classes were comparable at the onset of the semester, those students who used the SRS as an integral part of the classroom reported greater interest in the class and higher expectations of success, performed better on a midterm exam, and more importantly, performed better on a knowledge-retention test administered at the end of the semester. Radosevich, Salomon, Radosevich, and Kahn argue that SRS technology can have beneficial outcomes for student performance and knowledge retention. (Contains 2 exhibits, 6 figures and 3 tables.)"

"Nearly 7,000 students drop out of high school every day (Editorial Projects in Education, 2007). The reasons for dropping out, according to the research, range from a lack of connection to relevance to boredom. Increasing student-to-teacher connections and motivation through the implementation of effective instructional strategies has been proven to be a successful solution that increases student engagement. This study reports on the application of research-based effective instructional strategies by teachers in a high school setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"

"This article describes how Student Response Systems, also known as clickers, have helped to create an engaging learning environment where students retain course content. Clickers are one tool in the teacher's arsenal of resources that transform a traditional PowerPoint presentation into an interactive student-focused experience. This article focuses on the use of clickers in General Business courses taught to deaf and hard-of-hearing students in a small classroom setting. Students become active participants who are involved, highly motivated, and eager to provide feedback confirming acquisition of course material. The goals, methodology, and findings are discussed along with student feedback from the participating classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"

"The article discusses the use of technology to conduct classroom-based assessments. It states that technology can be helpful in formative assessments by monitoring learning progress and providing feedback to improve instructional programs. For summative assessments, devices can be aligned with goals from individualized educational plans and learning standards. An example is given of a special education class in which all students are equipped with wireless active responding clickers which they use to register responses to verbal presentations and questions by the teacher, eliminating the need for written testing. A resource list is provided which includes digital audio recorders, observation and assessment tools, and educational games."

"This paper uses an action research approach to examine the impact of phase two of a dynamic education project involving SRS technology on student learning outcomes. We examine the use of clickers or student response systems (SRS) as an educational tool in accounting. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to compare outcomes for students over three semesters in first year accounting classes. Results support an increase in the participation level of students in class, improved understanding of the course content and a positive learning experience. No correlation between in-class responses and overall assessment performance was found, but there was a decrease in the failure rate in the semester in which SRS technology was used. Overall, the study provides preliminary evidence of the efficacy of this technology to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"

" A new type of Student Response System (SRS) based up on the latest wireless technologies and hand held mobile devices has been developed to enhance active learning methods and assess students' understanding. The key services involve a set of XML technologies, web services and modern mobile devices. A group consisting of engineers, scientists and instructors with pedagogical competence, from seven European countries has designed the services. The new SRS provides intuitive control interfaces, which an instructor quickly learns how to use, provides more flexible and cheaper response services than existing on-site technologies based upon so-called "clickers", since it uses the Wi-Fi or mobile network to provide responses from students. The technology may be used for in-class, laboratory and distance training purposes, the latter being an entirely new option in SRS technology. We report experiences from using this SRS technology in physics teaching in engineering classes, as well as in distance learning in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]"

: This research compares a behaviorally based approach for using electronic student response system (SRS) technology with a metacognitive-oriented approach to determine effects on attendance, preparation for class, and achievement. Also examined are the interaction effects of pedagogical approach with self-regulatory and motivational characteristics of students. MANOVA analyses of pretest, posttest, attitudinal, and attendance data revealed no significant difference between approaches on achievement. A main effect was found for self-regulation level and achievement, as well as for goal orientation and class preparation/attendance. Other findings are that students in the operant conditioning group were significantly more likely to be anxious when using SRS but were more motivated to prepare for and attend class than the metacognitive group. Finally, type of pedagogy and self-regulation level also interacted significantly on the achievement measure, with highly self-regulated students in the metacognitive group outperforming students with low self-regulatory skills. (Contains 5 tables.)

The article presents a study which investigates the responses of students to conceptual multiple choice questions that were answered using an electronic personal response system called conceptests. It notes that the study has used conceptests from geosciences questions. It examines the conceptest response pattern of the students to evaluate the efficacy of principles and methods of instruction in a general education classroom setting. data from the study were sorted by gender and race to demonstrate the distribution of the students' responses in the four-paired response categories, correct-incorrect, twice incorrect, incorrect-correct, and twice correct. Results show that the conceptest response patterns from electronic response systems can be use to evaluate teaching technique.

STUDENT response systems (SRS), also called "clickers," are handheld devices that help teachers poll students during class sessions and tabulate the responses. This technology is the same (often with the same devices) as that used when audiences are asked to vote on something during a television quiz program. These systems are also known as classroom response systems, personal response systems, and audience response systems.

Another example AR site. Thanks Mike!