ITL Policy on Classroom Performance Systems

As of September 2006, the University of Connecticut entered into an agreement with eInstruction of Denton, Texas to provide a campus wide standard solution for the use of student remote responders. As a result of this agreement, remotes, often referred to as “clickers,” can be purchased by students for use with the Classroom Performance System (CPS), provided by eInstruction. More information on getting started here at UConn is available from ITL.

This agreement is the culmination of over 3 years of research and testing by various groups and individuals across campus. 7 different systems were researched during this period with 3 companies eventually applying in response to a Request for Proposal. As a result, eInstruction emerged as the top choice for its many superior attributes, not the least of which were excellent customer service and ease of use.

CPS will integrate with current University infrastructure in several ways. First, faculty and instructors use the integration of Vista and CPS software to integrate Vista class rosters with CPS without having to manually enter CPS student data. Once instructors request their Vista class website and students purchase their remotes at the Co-op, students register their clickers for the appropriate classes through their Vista course site. Instructors can then begin using the remotes in their classes. Currently instructors need to run the CPS software on laptops. In the near future CPS will be installed on a small number of Hi-Tech classroom computers.

Standardization will benefit numerous stakeholders at University. If all instructors use CPS, students will no longer need to buy more than one remote as was previously the case. Furthermore the remotes can be used for the entirety of a student’s academic career. The Co-op is currently looking into the possibility of a buyback system similar to the text book model.

In terms of instructor and student support, standardization offers further advantages. eInstruction offers excellent technical support and training for instructors and students alike through their website and support line (888-707-6819). Additionally, eInstruction provides onsite trainings and support on request.

The Institute for Teaching and Learning provides campus support for UConn CPS implementation. The Instructional Resource Center (IRC) provides faculty pedagogical and technical support for effectively using CPS and integrating it with Vista. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) supports student clicker registration and how the students use the CPS system. In the near future, Educational Technologies will schedule CPS workshops based on instructor demand. The Instructional Design and Development department (IDD) will provide pedagogical support for implementing CPS in the classroom.

Although other brands of remote response pads are available and can be used by instructors, these brands will not be supported by any campus entity. Further, the use of these other products may force students to purchase multiple remotes; a situation we are specifically trying to avoid.