ITL Policy on Classroom Performance Systems

As of September 2006, the University of Connecticut enters 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.  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 will use the integration of Vista and CPS software to request, create and populate class rosters without having to manually enter student data.  Once rosters are created, and students have purchased their remotes at the Co-op, they can register their clickers for the appropriate classes through their Vista course site.  Instructors simply update their roster in the CPS software and will be able to begin using the remotes in their classes.   Currently instructors will need to run the software on laptops.  In the near future CPS will be installed on the 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 call line (888-707-6819).  Additionally, eInstruction will provide onsite trainings and support on request.  In the near future, workshops will be scheduled based on instructor demand.  Campus support will be provided through several departments within the Institute for Teaching and Learning.  The Instructional Resource Center (IRC) will provide faculty technical support.  The Learning Resource Center (LRC) will support student registration and technical questions.  The Instructional Design and Development department (IDD) will provide pedagogical support for implementing CPS in the classroom.