As always, the iClicker team has been hard at work creating new features, all designed to enhance what you can do with your students in your classroom. Check out everything we’ve debuted recently, and remember: iClicker Cloud 6.0.0 is the current minimum required supported version of instructor software.   iClicker AI Question Creator     Available now at https://questioncreator.iclicker.com/login, and coming soon to iClicker Cloud instructor website With the new AI Question Creator, you can effortlessly generate novel, dynamic iClicker questions in minutes. iClicker crafts questions that align perfectly with your course goals, ensuring your polls, quizzes, and assignments accurately reflect students' comprehension and critical thinking skills. With the ability to deploy new questions in seconds, you can assess students’ true understanding during class time – without worrying about them having seen the questions beforehand.     Formula/Symbol Question Type      Available now in iClicker Cloud 6.1.0 The new iClicker Formula/Symbol question type lets students respond with equations, mathematical expressions, symbols, and Greek letters. This feature, ideal for STEM instructors, allows for more complex polling questions, offering a deeper challenge than Multiple Choice.                     Other Polling Enhancements   Available now in iClicker Cloud 6.1.0 Short Answer Polling questions now have an option to make responses case sensitive.  Short Answer and Numeric questions offer the ability to grade by using the +Add Correct Answer option as an alternative to clicking the student responses. This option replaces the previous “Other Response” input that was used to indicate that none of the student responses are correct. A new course setting for Polling allows instructors to skip the screen capture window selection dialog and image preview popup.    Confidence Mode Available in iClicker Cloud 6.0.0 and above   Are students answering confidently or are they taking an educated guess? iClicker Cloud's Confidence Mode feature encourages students to reflect on their in-class responses and provides instructors with instantaneous insight into student comprehension. You can find confidence mode in the polling tab of your software under the “more” option.    Coming Soon iClicker Events Feedback Events will include the option to request feedback from participants after ending the event. This feature will be released as an automatic update for version 6.1.0; no new download will be needed. When released, events run using older Cloud 6.0.0 will always send participants a request for feedback without offering the option to end without feedback.         Roster and Grade Sync Performance and Participation Scores   Roster and grade sync (RGS) integration will offer additional options to sync participation and performance points individually. This new setting is available whether you choose to sync a single iClicker grade or individual activity scores. This feature will be available automatically via the instructor website upon its release.               Affordability Reminders for Fall 2024 If your institution does not have a site license, remember these tips to help with student affordability: iClicker is included with Achieve at no additional cost to students. New iClicker remote purchases include a 5-year iClicker student app subscription. No remote needed? Students should set up their accounts via the web app for the most affordable option. ... View more

iClicker is undergoing thoughtful enhancements aimed at fortifying your ability to actively engage students and foster stronger connections. Here's a glimpse of what awaits users in 2024, including additional features that are available right now!   Events Currently in a private beta, Events will allow presenters to employ the learning science-backed iClicker features they know and love outside of the classroom. Event participants will not need an iClicker account and can join the session using a QR code in a matter of seconds! If you are interested in joining this private beta during its trial period, please reach out to your sales representative to learn more!   Text Recognition To better support students using screen reader assistive technology, iClicker uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to automatically extract text in question images. The extracted text is available to screen readers both during live polling and after class for review. Text recognition is now available in iClicker upon request! Please contact your sales representative to learn more. To learn more about our commitment to accessibility, please visit our web page for more information.   Confidence Mode   Are students answering confidently or are they taking an educated guess? iClicker Cloud's Confidence Mode feature encourages students to reflect on their in-class responses and provides instructors with instantaneous insight into student comprehension. You can find confidence mode in the polling tab of your software under the “more” option.      Groups iClicker Groups offers a new way to engage with students and allow every voice to be heard. Members of each group are encouraged to collaborate, exchange ideas, and work as a team to reach a consensus conclusion when answering classroom polling questions.  Once you set up designated groups on the instructor iClicker Cloud website, you may then utilize and rearrange students as you see fit throughout the term.         ... View more

Whether you are new to iClicker or a seasoned pro, we reached out to our iClicker experts to reveal some additional usage tips to help instructors at every part of their iClicker process. Here are some of our favorite tips.    Before Class    Set up your Pre-Created Quiz questions. Why? This feature does not function once you have started the software during class. To administer your pre-created quizzes, create them on the web browser first to ensure you can start them in class.   You can, however, start an “on the fly” quiz at any time!   Choose how you want your grades to be synced to your campus LMS.    Why? In your settings, you have the option to sync grades into one column or various columns in your LMS. Make sure you choose your preference before initiating a sync.   Change your mind? No worries! If you want to make a switch midway through the term you can delete the iClicker entries in your LMS and resync grades from iClicker into your LMS gradebook as it suits your preference.       During Class     Plug in your base before starting up your software.    Why? Without plugging your physical base into your computer, it may result in your students having issues connecting to your polling session!    The best method would be the following – open your slide deck, plug in your base, and start up the iClicker Cloud software. Look for the “base connected” message. Once you see that, you are good to get started.        Share the iClicker Student App Troubleshooting Tips article with students Why? If students using mobile devices run into any issues, having this documentation at the beginning of the term will help assist students with technical trouble.   In most cases, closing out of the app and re-opening it does the trick!   After Class    When using integration, before syncing grades to your campus LMS, make sure all grade edits are done in the iClicker gradebook first.  Why? If you make changes to your iClicker grades in your campus LMS you may risk having those changes overwritten by re-syncing grades from the iClicker gradebook and pulling the grades that currently show there.   Our solution? Click the “details” tab in your gradebook to see all student grades and edit them there as needed. Everything highlighted in blue is clickable, and all of your changes stay cohesive via the iClicker gradebook.   Go into the grade book to find your exit poll results.  Why? Well, you want to see your exit poll results, don’t you?   To find your exit poll results, click into your Gradebook, open the details tab, and select an activity.     ... View more

Learn how iClicker makes active learning simple! In this video, instructors share how they use iClicker to enable students to answer questions in real-time, effectively assess their comprehension and promote active participation. By integrating IClicker into your classroom, you can facilitate new teaching methods like peer instruction, where students initially respond to questions individually and then engage in group discussions. This method is just one of the many ways iClicker fosters collaborative learning, making the classroom an engaging and interactive environment. iClicker is more than just a tool—it's a catalyst that can help you create a vibrant, participatory, and collaborative learning experience in your classroom.   ... View more

iClicker is evolving to help strengthen how you engage students and create closer connections. Here's what you can look forward to in iClicker Cloud in 2023.   Groups Coming soon! There is abundant evidence that group-based activities have a proven impact on learning and student well-being. However, it can be difficult to manage for instructors and issues persist in assuring equitable and full group participation. With features built-in to help groups vote and reach consensus, iClicker Groups helps manage group exercises in class.               Quizzing Available now! Instructor improvements: Updated Quizzing settings more closely resemble Polling settings, and the process to start a quiz in class has been simplified.   Available now! Student improvements: The experience of taking a quiz more closely resembles responding to a poll or assignment. Navigation between quiz questions and quiz submission have been simplified.   Coming soon! Pre-authored Quizzing makes it easy for instructors to create, administer, and grade digital quizzes for synchronous classes. This new option displays pre-authored questions to students by allowing instructors to upload quiz questions as PDFs.               Screen Capture Coming soon! A new screen capture option allows instructors to share screenshots with students without having to run a poll. Students will have access to the shared lecture slides or other captured content outside of class and can create flashcards or a practice test for review using Study Tools in the student app.   ... View more

At Macmillan Learning, we strive to create products that foster connections between professors and their students. Learning happens at the human-to-human level, and our tools foster those connections and relationships. In this video, hear from Susan Winslow, CEO at Macmillan Learning, the director of Product, Jason Walker, and the executive director of Product, Ryan Moore, on the importance of creating connections. Watch the Video ... View more

How iClicker Helps Me Be Flexible, Nimble & Inspired in Multiple Modalities Presentation by Solina Lindahl: California Polytech State University - San Luis Obispo, Economics In this presentation, we hear from the Economics Department lead at Cali Poly State - SLO, Solina Lindahl on how to use iClicker in multiple modalities with teamwork. In a learning environment where professors and students alike are inundated with new classroom technology, it's important to stay flexible, nimble, and inspired. This presentation not only highlights iClicker features that maximize active learning, growth mindsets, student engagement, and a sense of community--but also highlights the importance of turning to learning science and research when designing a course. Watch the presentation below to learn more tips and tricks for implementing active learning with iClicker in your course.  Watch the Presentation Solina Lindahl is the Economics Lead (Cali) and services in the CSU Chancellor's Office. She is a committee faculty rep and co-lead for Equity Learning Community. She serves as the co-lead for Cal Poly's Center for Teaching's "Redesigning the large lecture." Solina is also a faculty mentor and regular recipient of the "Economics Faculty of the Year" award.  ... View more

iClicker is introducing groups as a new way to engage students with polling. With this feature, the class is divided into groups and the members of the group work together to build consensus to answer your polling questions. It’s a fun and instructional way for students to interact with each other! iClicker Groups will be released in Public Beta in the Spring 2023 term.      ... View more

  The COVID-19 pandemic changed the learning landscape dramatically. After having to pivot to all virtual learning, students began to see they had options when it came to where they had to be for class. Even as schools reopened and in-person learning returned, it wasn’t necessarily a full return. Hybrid learning may be here to stay, and your classroom may no longer be a physical space each and every one of your students walk into every day. Student engagement becomes a key concern in this educational landscape. Keeping students with us as we teach will forever be the ultimate challenge regardless of class format. But, worrying about engagement, and seeing it as an obstacle to overcome, is actually a good thing. Giving it all this attention means you’re more likely to take action, right at the start, to craft a course that works for all students. To provide the best possible experience for both in-person and virtual learners, consider implementing some or all of these tips. Garnered from the experience of Grace Tuttle (Boise State University), Matt Evans (University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire), and Solina Lindahl (California Polytechnic State University), these tips can help bring together a cohesive class even if everyone is still in their own room.   Download: Creating Connections Wherever 'Class' Is ... View more

It might have been a while since you last set up your iClicker courses, or maybe you’ve never been through the getting-started process before. Our checklists walk you through the steps in order, from setting up your account and software through using iClicker for in-class activities – so you can check iClicker setup off your own to-do list.    Instructor Setup Checklist: Getting Started with iClicker Cloud Checklist for Returning iClicker Cloud Users: Prepare for a New Term iClicker Cloud Checklist for Remote Instruction Checklist: Getting Started with iClicker Cloud Attendance-only Courses Checklist: Getting Started with iClicker Classic   Student Setup Checklist: Getting Started with the iClicker Student App Customizable Syllabus Templates and First Day of Class Slides   Still unsure how to get started with iClicker? Feel free to sign up for an online training session to go over each of these setup steps with an iClicker specialist. ... View more

There are so many official and unofficial ways we welcome students as members of our colleges and universities. This month, explore different traditions institutions use to build community on their campus and connect to their past. ... View more

The faster you can onboard your students, the sooner you can make your classroom an active learning classroom. Check out how you can use Quick Join to get students up and running with iClicker in about a minute. Once your students are up and running, explore some easy activity ideas for your first iClicker sessions! You can quickly onboard your students in your iClicker class in three easy steps. First, create your iClicker course, then click on the Settings area of the course. There, you’ll find your Quick Join code. Share this Quick Join code with your students and they will take the process over from there! Once students log into iClicker, your course will be automatically added to their iClicker account and they will be ready to answer your iClicker questions! Once you have your students ready to go, it can be nice to ask a few questions to help students build confidence with this new tool. We have lots of different activities you can try with your students no matter what discipline you may be teaching. You can welcome students to class with an entrance tickets or try one of our trivia decks to help build your classroom community. ... View more

  At this time of the year, we like to remind our instructors of the power of running practice sessions in iClicker, whether to master the basics or explore new features (like Groups, coming in our July required software update!) before going live with your students.    Practicing with iClicker allows you to preview the full end-to-end class experience from both the instructor and student perspectives. Remember, you can create a separate practice-only or sandbox course—and you can access the iClicker student mobile or web app for free using your instructor credentials. Upon creating your iClicker Cloud instructor account, you will have a 14-day free trial period automatically applied to your account when you log in to the iClicker student app. If you teach at a site license institution or department, you’ll continue to have free access to the student app. If not, simply contact iClicker tech support and request your free instructor subscription to the iClicker student app.   When creating your practice course, you can use the new unlisted course setting, you don’t have to worry about your practice course being visible to students in their app search results. You can still join your own course as a student using your course’s join code.   Here are the steps to practice with iClicker:   Download the iClicker Cloud desktop software or check for updates if you had previously installed the software. Note: The Cloud 5.3.0 update is coming in July 2022! Make sure you have an iClicker instructor account. You can use the same account to access the iClicker student app; some instructors prefer to create a separate account to use for the student app, and that works too.  Create an unlisted practice course and join your course as a student. Use our practice session support article to step through the classroom experience from both the instructor and student perspective. It helps to go through the motions of  starting, answering, and stopping polls (plus displaying, grading, and hiding results) a few times before using iClicker in front of your students in a real classroom setting! ... View more

Summer is officially here and with it a longing to take in some of our nation’s natural wonders. July is National Parks Month, so we’ve toasted some trivia questions to share with your students.   ... View more

Habits can make or break a student’s education. Some cultivate habits that keep them on a steady track towards success, while others fight against their habits as they try to learn. In this month’s blog post, discover how you can use iClicker with your students in a way that helps them improve their habits both in and out of the classroom. Use iClicker’s Attendance feature to encourage the habit of regular attendance. Choosing to attend class isn’t easy sometimes. A college class can be a lot like the gym; a place we pay to attend but don’t. Encourage your students to make class attendance a regular habit with iClicker’s Attendance tool, which is designed to  Turn on iClicker’s Focus Mode to encourage the habit of full engagement. Your students are very aware that their phone can be distractions. Help them learn to manage that distraction by turning iClicker’s Focus Mode on in your class settings. With Focus Mode, students are encouraged to  Encourage better study habits with iClicker Study Tools. With iClicker Study Tools, students are able to take your iClicker polling questions and make them into flashcard packs and practice tests. Be sure to carefully grade your questions and replace slides as needed to help your students get the most out of your iClicker questions. For more ideas about how your can use iClicker to encourage healthy classroom habits, watch the webinar below: ... View more