Study Tips & Tools

Student Response System

Using your i>clicker

Use of the i>clicker

Press the power button.

The power button is the lowest button. It is marked ON/OFF.

The blue LED at the top of the unit, marked POWER, will light up when the power is on.

The power shuts off automatically after 90 minutes of inactivity, to save battery life.  When this happens, simply hit the power button at the bottom to restart it.

If the blue LED flashes, then turn the unit off, then back on again, until the blue LED remains steadily lit.

Select your response.

Press the A, B, C, D, or E button to send your response to the instructor's receiver.

Check the status light to make sure that your response was received.

You do NOT need to "point" your i>clicker unit at the instructor's receiver, like you would a TV remote.

You may change your response to a different one—until the time deadline is reached. Make sure the green LED flashes when you select a new response.

 

Registering your i>clicker

You have to register your unit before I can give you extra credit points.

First, you have to use your unit in class at least once . . . my system has to have received something from your unit.

Uou want to register on the web, so go to www.i>clicker.com/registration

There, you'll see several form fields on the i>clicker registration page:

1. Make sure your type your first name and last name separately, and EXACTLY as they appear in the WebCT My Grades roster.  If you don't, I may not be able to import your information!

2. For "Student ID" type in your WebCT ID (use the iConnect ID, for example, "kp123456"). Do NOT use your password here!

3. For "Clicker ID" type in the code on the back of your i>clicker unit.

4. Type in the code (verification word) giving in the image that appears in the form.  It's a security thing; the form won't work unless you do this.

5. Click "Enter"

That's it!  I'll download your registration information directly into my course from the i>clicker website.

Once your unit is registered at the beginning of the course, you do not have to register it again! (until your next course, that is)

Having trouble with online clicker registration? If you are getting a "time out" error when trying to register your clicker, here's the solution: Use Firefox or Internet Explorer as your browser if possible.  Definitely avoid using the Safari browser.  (you can use campus computers if needed)   Go directly to www.iclicker.com/registration  DO NOT use a link from inside WebCT.  Some of you are viewing Lion Den pages from within a frame in WebCT and using a link to i>Clicker--DO NOT do that.  Instead open a new browser window (or tab) and type in the URL.  Or go to Lion Den directly (not from WebCT) then click the link from Lion Den. If you've already gotten the error on your computer, you'll have to clear your cache and cookies and do it again (but this time not from inside WebCT).  Depending on your browser, you can clear the cache/cookies by using Tools, Options, Privacy, Clear Private Data . . . or simply closing out all browser windows and restarting your browser.  If none of this works, or you are having a hard time understanding these solutions, then call i>Clicker support at 1.866.209.5698 from 8-4 (central time) Monday-Friday and they will register you by phone.  It only takes a couple of minutes.

 

Maintaining your i>clicker

Replace the battery when needed

The i>clicker battery lasts about 200 hours and the unit shuts off automatically when you stop using it, so you won't have to change batteries often.

Change your batteries when the blue power LED does not light or when the low battery LED lights.

To change the batteries, flip your i>clicker unit over and find the battery cover on the lower part of the rounded ridge on the back side of the unit.

Put the tip of a small key (or use a small paperclip) into the slot next to the battery cover and push the plastic lock tab to release the battery cover.  Pull the battery cover out toward the side of the unit after the lock tab has been released.

Remove the first battery and the others will slide down so they also can be removed.

Place a fresh AAA battery into the battery chamber, positive terminal toward the top of the unit. Then tilt the unit so the battery slides up toward the top of the unit, leaving room to put two more fresh batteries into the chamber.

Replace the cover, sliding it toward the middle of the unit, making sure the tabs fit back into place to hold the batteries securely.

Use triple A (AAA) batteries. If you use high-power batteries made "for electronic devices" they will last even longer than typical AAA batteries. For example, try Energizer L92BP4 Lithium AAA Battery

Don't lose your unit!

The i>clicker unit is your responsibility.  It is required for class participation*.  If you lose it, you have to replace it as soon as possible.

Newly purchased replacement units must be registered in the system before they can be used.  See me BEFORE class to register your unit.

What if the green status LED will not flash?

Your green status LED must flash for a response to register with the system.

Make sure your unit is on and the batteries are OK.
If the blue power LED is on and steady, then your batteries are OK.

You may have accidentally changed frequencies. To correct this, hold down the on/off switch until the blue power LED begins flashing. Then enter AA (our correct frequency code) and it will stop flashing. Your unit should now work correctly. 

Don't panic!

If you experience problems with i>clicker, you'll have a first-hand experience of the phenomenon we physiologists call "the stress response."   Your heart rate increases, you sweat profusely, your breathing gets deeper and more rapid, you are "revved up."  This is great if you are being stalked by a lion  -but this doesn't help much in class.  So calm down and ask for help. 

Use of a clicker is required

It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
to contact help and resolve issues
with the student response system and its functions
—so give yourself enough time to do that.

* Clicker data is also used as a way for the instructor to verify attendance and award participation points. Therefore, use of the clicker is required so that I have a way to monitor attendance and award your points.  If you don't have your clicker, then in the course records it will appear that you did not attend and you will not receive participation points. 

This may not SEEM fair to some, but it's like a carpenter arriving at a job site without a hammer or other necessary tools.  The clicker is a vital tool for this job . . . and you are not really "on the job" without it!

Clicker points

BIO 240 and BIO 241

In A&P lecture, your clicker points will be awarded according to this plan:

You will receive 10 "clicker points" per week of participation (5 pts for each class, if your section meets twice per week). At certain points in the semester, I will post your total "clicker points" so far.  This is not a score of the number correct; they are "participation" points or "clicker points." 

After the last day of classes, I will add your credit points to your course total points based on how many clicker points you have.

BIO 242

In the Supplement course, you receive 15 clicker points for each session you use the clicker. These are added directly to your total course points, as described in the syllabus. These points are shown in WebCT, but may not be current because they are not automatically loaded . . . you have to wait until I upload them manually to WebCT.