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 Clickers at Trent
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Students purchase their clickers through the Trent University Bookstore. Return policy: There is a one-year return policy on new i>clicker devices. This warranty covers manufacturing defects only. Buy-back policy: If you plan to sell your i>clicker to the bookstore at the end of the course, be sure to keep the device in good condition, as the Bookstore will not buy-back damaged or defaced devices. |
Once you remove your clicker from its packaging, you will need to pull the tab on the back of it to activate the batteries. On the front of your clicker you will notice there are 6 options: A, B, C, D, E, and On/Off. The On/Off button is what you choose to both turn it on (resulting in a steady blue light by the “Power” indicator at the top of your clicker) and off (removing the steady blue light).
On the top of your clicker are three light indicators (Power, Low Battery, and Status). Push a button labelled A to E to vote. The “Status” light will flash green to indicate that your vote has been received and confirmed. A red flashing light indicates that your vote was not received and you will need to vote again. Additionally, your clicker will flash red if your instructor has not begun polling or the frequencies of your remote and the receiver unit are not the same.
You are able to change your response as long as the polling remains open. During an open polling period, i>clicker records your last response. Once your instructor turns the polling off, any response changes will not be received (and your “Status” light will flash red).
The clicker will remain on for 90 minutes as long as there is an activated receiver in your classroom. If you leave class and forget to turn off your clicker, it will automatically turn off after 5 minutes. In fact, it will automatically turn itself off even if a particular button is being continually depressed (as in a backpack), if it is not communicating with a receiver unit.
The device is powered by 3 AAA batteries. The battery life is approximately 200 hours. The “Low Battery” light will flash red when you need to replace your batteries. Once this light begins flashing, you have less than 10 hours of battery power remaining. On the back of your i>clicker is a small slot. You will need to insert a key or other similar device (such as the clasp on a pen) to release the covering, allowing you to remove and replace the batteries.
How does my instructor identify my responses?
Depending on the application of i>clicker in your course, your instructor may or may not associate responses with individual students. The instructor's intended use of the device will be explained on the course outline, including how the information received will be used.
Your instructor may simply wish to receive classroom feedback without knowing how each individual student responded. Your responses would be stored and credited to your clicker number, which is located on the back of your clicker, rather than to you. If your instructor then determines that he/she would like the feedback to be credited to each student, you would register and all your previously responses would be retroactively assigned to you.
If your instructor is interested in associating your responses with your student ID number, he/she will ask you to register your i>clicker. This is normally done if your instructor plans to use the device for attendance, participation grades or assessment.
To register your clicker, you would go to the myLearningSystem main page for your course. Click on "Assessments", and select the quiz titled "Clicker registration". Provide the serial number as requested (from the back of the clicker). Be sure to use capital or lower case letters exactly as printed on your clicker. You will be given 5 minutes to enter the required information. When you use your clicker to answer in class, the clicker number is recorded along with your response, and will be attributed to you. Therefore, to get credit for class participation, you must always use only the clicker with the serial number registered to you.
Could my responses be confused with another user?
All clickers on the Trent campus normally operate with their factory-set default settings. Your remote ID is unique and once registered will only associate to your student ID. Your instructor will advise if ever there is a need to change your clicker settings.
Why do we have to change the clicker frequency?
The hand-held clicker devices communicate with your instructor's computer through a radio frequency. Now that we have twenty two courses using clickers at Trent we have had to designate clicker frequencies to specific classrooms. Your instructor will provide instructions to you if you have to change your clicker frequency. If your instructor does not mention this, your course has been set to use the default frequency setting of AA.
Can I register my clicker through texbook or iclicker web sites?
No. There are many websites associated with iClicker that promote the registration of iClickers to students. We should not and can not use these sites because the majority of this registration data will reside on servers that are in the United States and are subject to the U.S. Patriot Act. Although the data does not include passwords, it does include student names, TrentNet IDs, our university name and course codes that do leave an electronic trail and are a privacy concern.
What if I am having problems with my clicker?
There is a standard one-year limited warranty available with each clicker. If your clicker is defective, your process of returning it will depend upon how you obtained it. If you purchased it through your bookstore, you may return it directly to the bookstore. If a particular department on your campus provided it to you, you will need to check with that department to determine their replacement policy. If you purchased a previously-used clicker, you will need to consult with that particular source for replacement options.
If you require technical assistance, you can either call the i>clicker Technical Support Center toll free at 866-209-5698, or send an e-mail with your particular concern to support@iclicker.com.
Limited support can also be provided on campus by contacting the Help Desk staff in Trent's Information Technology department.
Be sure to write down your clicker serial number in a safe place in case you lose it. Lost devices will be sent to the Trent University Security Office. To recover your device, the following information will need to be provided: the unique ID number on the back of your clicker and your student ID number. Make sure that you report your loss as soon as possible to your instructor.
I heard that the serial numbers can rub off. What can I do?
Students have reported that the unique clicker IDs on the back of their clickers have rubbed off. To remedy this problem, we recommend that you (1) write the unique ID number down in a safe place and (2) place clear tape over the ID number. If the number has already been rubbed off, you can go to the IT help desk and ask for Mary-Jane Pilgrim. Mary-Jane will help you to re-identify the unique ID associated with your clicker.