Tracking Participation in Large Classes

1. Tracking Participation in Large Classes Danny Garfield Timothy Kou Emma Miller Erez Morag Michael Vo

2. The Situation • A natural part of class is the students’ participation. • A participation is a communication from the student that boils down to one of two distinct actions: either the student is responding the instructor’s question, or the student is asking a question of his or her own. • Instructors wish to collect data about their students’ participation habits. • This includes how often students participate and the quality of each participation.

3. The Problem • In large classes, there is currently no easy way to record participation data without interrupting the flow of class. • Identification data is difficult to manage. • Manually entering data into spreadsheets is a hassle; instructors “work the room” and can’t be tied down. • Need to keep with current most natural form of student volunteering: raising of the hand.

4. The Solution • Mobility: Palm pilot • Naturalism: Student remote • Efficiency: 2-click system • Flow: Continuous; no typing

5. Sort options: # of times Participated # of times Volunteered Dismiss First person queued up to speak Grade of quality: 0-10 # of students (after those above) who volunteered to answer instructor’s question Queue control Next in line to ask a question or make a comment # of students (after this one above) who volunteered to ask a question or make a comment