The latest version of iClicker Cloud (v7.1) introduces new features that support real-time engagement, flexible pacing, and better classroom insights. These tools were developed with instructor feedback in mind and are designed to keep your lessons dynamic while reducing logistical friction. Here’s what you’ll find in 7.1: Reactions Feature: Students can now share emoji-based feedback during class! Whether it’s a thumbs up, a question mark, or a moment of confusion, Reactions offer a quick and anonymous way for students to communicate without interrupting you. Instructors are already using Reactions to check comprehension, adjust pacing, and create a more responsive learning environment. Independent Timer Tool: Add structure and flexibility to class activities with our new Timer tool. Whether you're running a discussion, practice quiz, or short reflection, the timer keeps everyone on track—without requiring separate apps or classroom tools. Confidence Mode: Gauge not just what students selected, but how confident they are in their responses. This feature helps promote metacognition and surfaces areas where students may need more support. AI Question Creator (with Document Upload!): Our enhanced AI tool now allows you to upload a document (like a syllabus or reading) and generate polling questions in seconds. You can edit and save questions directly, making it easier to bring active learning into class prep. These tools work together to support a smoother, more insight-driven classroom. Less time managing, more time teaching. To take advantage of these features, instructors must use version 7.0.0 or newer of the iClicker Cloud desktop app. Updating gives you: Stronger desktop/cloud sync and session stability Compatibility with modern operating systems and devices A refreshed user interface built for faster, smoother in-class use The latest update also sets you up for future enhancements—like attendance sync, coming soon. View the iClicker Cloud Release Notes Try Web-Based Polling — Now in Beta! We’ve just launched iClicker Web Polling (Beta), a new way to use iClicker directly from your web browser—no desktop download required. Just go to the iClicker instructor website, click “Start Class,” and begin polling in seconds. This new feature is perfect for instructors who need fast, flexible polling options on the go or in less traditional classroom settings. Learn More About Web Polling Whether you're teaching in person, online, or somewhere in between, iClicker is ready to help you foster connection and engagement this fall. Questions or feedback? Reach out—we’d love to hear how you’re using these features in your own classroom. ... View more

Your comprehensive student organization leader guide for running effective, powerful, and engaging meetings and events. Photo credit: Drazen Running a student organization is all about making sure everyone’s voice is heard and that no one feels left out. But let’s be real—keeping people engaged and tracking attendance can be tricky. This guide is here to help you boost participation and spark real conversations that matter. Inside, you’ll find tips that make it easier to get everyone involved, keep discussions lively, and stay on top of attendance without the hassle. These strategies are all about keeping your group active, energized, and connected. Meet your members where they are by asking the right questions, and creating a safe space for feedback. Whether you’re running an academic club, a community service group, or any other student-led organization, it’s crucial to create a space where everyone feels comfortable being honest. Let’s be real—some topics are tough to talk about in front of a crowd. That’s where anonymous polling comes in. It gives everyone a chance to share what they’re really thinking without worrying about what others might say. This helps ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, leading to more genuine and useful insights for your organization. Sample Question #1: How comfortable do you feel discussing mental health challenges with your peers? Very comfortable—I often share my experiences. Somewhat comfortable, but I only discuss with close friends. I struggle to talk about it, even with people I trust. I prefer to keep my mental health private. Sample Question #2: How comfortable are you speaking up in group discussions or meetings? I’m very comfortable—I actively participate. I’m somewhat comfortable, but I only speak up when I feel confident. I’m usually quiet and prefer to listen. I find it difficult to speak up in group settings. Another great advantage of anonymous polling is the ability to get real-time feedback, which allows you to adjust your approach on the spot. If you notice that certain responses indicate discomfort or confusion, you can shift the tone of the conversation, address concerns immediately, or dive deeper into areas that need more attention. This kind of flexibility ensures that your meetings are not just productive, but also responsive to the needs of your group in the moment. Photo credit: Africa Studio Plan campus events easily and use the feedback to make things happen. Make Your Events Interactive: Keeping your audience engaged can be tough, but getting everyone involved in decisions—like choosing the next trivia category—keeps the vibe fun and lively. By actively involving everyone, you ensure that all voices are heard and make everyone feel like they’re part of the event’s success. Drive Productive Discussions: Real-time feedback lets you quickly gather and analyze data from your event. This helps you see what people liked and where improvements are needed. For example, if feedback reveals which activities were a hit or where you can improve, you can make instant changes or plan more effectively for your next event. This way, you stay on top of things and make sure each event hits the mark. Keep It Inclusive: Make sure everyone can participate by using simple tech and offering different ways to get involved, like through written responses or spoken feedback. Providing clear instructions and support helps everyone, no matter their tech skills or needs. By focusing on inclusivity, you make sure everyone feels valued and engaged, turning accessibility into a natural part of your events and building a more supportive community. Beyond the Basics: The Hidden Benefits of Inclusivity in Your Organization Inclusivity isn't just about making everyone feel welcome—it brings some amazing, less obvious benefits to your organization. Enhancing group dynamics is a big one; when everyone’s voices are heard, you get a richer mix of ideas and avoid the pitfalls of groupthink, leading to smarter decisions.  It also boosts resilience and adaptability. With diverse perspectives in play, your group can handle changes and challenges with more creativity and flexibility. Plus, inclusivity encourages diverse leadership styles. It supports different approaches and ways of communicating, so everyone gets a chance to lead in their own style. Embracing inclusivity makes your organization stronger, more dynamic, and ready to tackle whatever comes next. Just as inclusivity strengthens your organization, having the right tools can amplify your efforts and support your goals. Here’s how to justify iClicker’s investment to your university. When it comes to finding the perfect tool for your campus, it’s essential to choose one that fits seamlessly into both academic and student life. You need something that’s not only effective but also easy to use and adaptable to various needs. Here’s why iClicker stands out as the ideal solution: It’s user-friendly. iClicker’s intuitive interfaces make it easy for anyone to use, without needing advanced tech skills. Getting started is quick and hassle-free, ensuring that both faculty and students can seamlessly integrate it into their routines. It’s scalable and flexible. iClicker offers flexibility that meets diverse needs across various departments. Its robust features are designed to support different academic and student affairs requirements without being overwhelming or costly. It’s proven and reliable. With a foundation in research-based development and a strong track record of success, iClicker provides clear, actionable analytics. This helps faculty and administrators make informed decisions backed by solid data. Learn More About iClicker Check Out iClicker Events ... View more

Back to Campus: iClicker  On-Demand It's almost time to bring your students back to campus! iClicker makes it easy to create a welcoming, interactive classroom. This webinar recording is for iClicker users, old and new, who want to know what's new with iClicker and get a tour of features like updated quizzing functionality and our new Groups feature. We also discussed ways you can use iClicker in your classroom, whether it’s a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom or a hybrid approach. View the Recording! ... View more

Back to Campus: Achieve  On-Demand It's almost time to bring your students back to campus! Achieve makes it easy to create a welcoming, interactive classroom. This webinar recording is for Achieve users, old and new, who want to know what's new with Achieve and get a tour of features like Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys and iClicker integration, as well as see the new improvements to the Gradebook and Reports and Insights. We also discussed ways you can use these resources in your classroom, whether it’s a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom or a hybrid approach. View the Recording! ... View more

 Teaching in Stereo: Strategies for Class Participation Nov. 1 @ 1PM ET A year of teaching on Zoom showed faculty that having students participate using their voices isn’t the only meaningful kind of participation. How can we take a more inclusive, accessible approach to class participation in our classrooms, whether they’re virtual or in person? In this workshop, we’ll consider principles and practices to turn our classes into learning communities where students can learn from and with each other. WATCH RECORDING ... View more

How WE Achieve: Using Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys to Create Closer Connections with Students Nov. 7 @ 12PM ET In this webinar, Dr. Mollie Anderson will share how she uses the Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys in Achieve. These surveys not only boost student metacognitive and study skills, they also provide instructors deep insight into student demographics and needs--in their own words. Mollie describes how she uses this data to empathize with her students, tailor her teaching to suit the unique makeup of each class, and even intervene with individual students when they need her help the most. You'll come away from this webinar with ideas for how you can use Goal Setting and Reflection surveys in your own class to create closer connections with students than ever. WATCH RECORDING ... View more

WATCH RECORDING    Digital Tools in the Post-Covid Age: Using "Read and Practice" to Foster Mental and Emotional Health Among College Students Oct. 13 @ 11AM ET In this webinar, Dr. Vaughn Scribner explains how Read and Practice helped him to empathize with students and help them with their mental well-being during Covid, and how he plans on integrating these findings in the post-Covid landscape. REGISTER NOW! ... View more

Reconsidering the Value of Education Dec. 12 @ 12PM ET College enrollments have declined steadily in recent years with hundreds of thousands of prospective students choosing not to pursue a degree. Students have to weigh the cost of college against the value they’ll take away from it. We all have a role to play in helping students realize the greatest possible value from their investment in their education. Join the Macmillan Learning team and a panel of experts for a conversation about what an education offers students, the decisions they have to weigh, and how we can work to provide value to every student. What You’ll Take Away: An overview of the state of college enrollments An understanding of the role that instructors can play in making courses feel worthwhile for students Ideas for making courses feel more relevant for students WATCH RECORDING ... View more

Addressing and Preventing Bias in Educational Technology Nov. 17 @ 1PM  Join the Macmillan Learning team and a panel of experts for a discussion about how to avoid bias in educational technology. What you’ll take away: Examples and impact of bias in educational technology; Tips for identifying equitably developed content and technology; Teaching tips for using technology to improve equity outcomes in your courses. WATCH RECORDING ... View more

Emphasizing Academic Integrity in Every Classroom Oct. 19 @ 12PM ET New tools have created countless ways for students to cheat – and growing academic and socio-economic pressures have created more reasons for them to do so. some they might not even realize are dishonest. Join the Macmillan Learning team and a panel of experts for a conversation about mitigating cheating by fostering strong academic integrity in students. What you'll take away: An overview of the state of academic integrity today; An understanding of the value of focus on promoting integrity over monitoring and punishing cheating; and Knowledge of strategies that can be used to emphasize the importance of academic integrity with students. WATCH RECORDING ... View more

Promoting Critical Thinking Through Active Learning    Sept. 29 @ 2PM ET Research has consistently shown that active learning strategies require students to use and even develop higher-order thinking skills. Bringing active learning into the classroom can have many benefits, including the ability to help students build and reinforce critical thinking skills. Join the Macmillan Learning team and a panel of active learning experts for a conversation about using active learning strategies to help students analyze information and creatively solve problems.  What You’ll Take Away:  An understanding of how active learning differs from passive learning; an overview of the cognitive skills that active learning can help students develop and practice; ideas for active learning strategies that you can use in your courses that can help support the development of long-term critical thinking skills. WATCH RECORDING ... View more

How to use iClicker and Tech Tools to Build Connection with Students and Keep your Sanity Sept. 12 @ 12PM ET Let’s be real: it’s a stressful time to teach. It’s also a stressful time to learn. Connection is more important than ever. Learn how to re-invigorate your class with a few simple tech tools and practices. WATCH SESSION NOW! ... View more

It's almost time to bring your students back to campus! Achieve makes it easy to create a welcoming, interactive classroom. This webinar is for Achieve users, old and new, who want to know what's new with Achieve and get a tour of features like Goal Setting and Reflection Surveys and iClicker integration. We’ll also discuss ways you can use these resources in your classroom, whether it’s a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom or a hybrid approach. WATCH NOW! ... View more

It's almost time to bring your students back to campus! iClicker makes it easy to create a welcoming, interactive classroom. This webinar is for iClicker users, old and new, who want to know what's new with iClicker and get a tour of features like Focus Mode and Anonymous questions. We’ll also discuss ways you can use iClicker in your classroom, whether it’s a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom or a hybrid approach. WATCH NOW! ... View more

Now that you've figured out the content you want in your course, you need to assign that content in a way that makes sense for you and your course goals.  First, you need to figure out when you want those assignments to be due, and I would recommend a consistent pattern so students aren't caught unaware. Many instructors use the due date and time of 11:59pm on Sunday, but certainly others make sure the readings and adaptive quizzes are done just before each class (so maybe 9:45am for a M/W/F class that starts at 10am) but have homework done the day after class (so maybe 11:59pm on T/R) and quizzes every other week on Sunday night. You need to do what makes sense for you and your teaching style--but again, I would advocate for consistency, wherever possible, that you can outline in your syllabus.  You also need to determine the settings for each assignment. Maybe for a quiz, you let students only take it 1 time, but for a homework, you let a student have 3 attempts. Maybe you drop the lowest 1 grade in the category quiz but the lowest 3 grades for anything in the category of homework, if you assign more homeworks. Maybe the adaptive quizzing is worth 25% of the students' overall grade in Achieve, 25% for homework, and 50% is for summative quizzes or tests. And, of course, you need to determine how much the work in Achieve counts toward the overall course grade. All of this info, of course, should appear in the syllabus as well.  (For more information on the assignment settings and gradebook settings, check out the links to the knowledge base.)  Good luck as you work through the details of creating all your assignments in Achieve!    ... View more