Formative Assessment with Plickers

Formative assessment helps teachers make data-informed decisions to plan for and/or adjust instructional activities, identify potential misconceptions, monitor the pace of instruction, etc.

While there are many ways to formatively assess students, I recently saw Eric Sheninger use Plickers during his workshop at the Ventura County Office of Education, and thought, what an easy and inexpensive way to quickly assess groups!
Purpose and benefits
  • Collect data from multiple choice or true/false questions from a group.
  • View data as a group snapshot in a graph, or view individual data from audience.
  • Quick, low-tech tool to use, especially when you don't have the budget for clickers.
Technology and prep
  1. Teacher/Facilitator creates an account at Plickers.
  2. Download app for portable device: iTunes or Google Play.
  3. Print out a set of reusable cards.  
  4. Add class(es).
  5. Create questions.
Getting started 

Click here to download as PDF
Last thoughts

Multiple choice and true/false responses provide limited data of learning and understanding. However, it can be used as a quick assessment to make data-informed decisions and to spark discussions for deeper learning in the classroom, a staff meeting, or the workshop setting.
  • How do you use technology to make you more effective, efficient, and informed?
  • What other tools do you like to use to gather information from your audience?

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 2, 2014 at 10:21 AM

    I love how simple this is to understand! What software did you use for the pics? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tracy WatanabeDecember 2, 2014 at 10:49 AM

      Thanks! I'm glad this is useful! I used Pages to create the pics.

      Delete

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