March 3, 2011 - 5:06pm
Thoughts from the Daily: Is iClicker better than Qwizdom?
BY RACHEL VAN GILDER
One of the most time-consuming parts of being a student is standing in line. This year, students will stand in line to get their new iClicker, a device used during lectures to increase interaction.
IClickers can only be obtained at one of the University's Computer Showcase locations (in the basement of the Michigan Union and on the main level of Pierpont Commons). According to the Computer Showcase website, new iClickers are $32. When students trade in old Qwizdoms, they can purchase new iClickers for $15. Perhaps the biggest difference between iClicker and Qwizdom is that iClickers also have a web component, which means that students can use their computers as the iClicker. A two-year web access card costs $25, and $8 with a Qwizdom trade-in.
But is the iClicker better than the Qwizdom? Because it has only four buttons, students can only answer multiple choice questions. And some professors forbid the use of computers in their class, making the web access useless. And there are some inherent problems with devices like the iClicker. They can be used to take attendance or administer pop-quizzes rather than gauge learning.
What's your opinion on the iClicker? Is it better than the Qwizdom? Do devices like this actually increase interaction and learning in lectures?
