Quick and Easy Formative Assessment

As teachers, we're always looking for ways to make sure our students are on track. We wonder things like "Is everyone getting this?" or "Do I need to review a bit more before moving on?" Enter Plickers...a free and easy-to-use hybrid of QR codes and response devices. The nice part about Plickers is that the only technology you need is a single classroom computer and a single mobile device.

According to 5^th grade teacher Shannon Eckels, who recently started using Plickers in her classroom, “It’s a fun way to use technology as a formative assessment. My students love getting out their Plicker cards and getting scanned to see if they’re right. It is also super easy for the teacher to add questions quickly.”

Plickers is similar to handheld clicker systems some of you may be familiar with. This is where students respond to multiple choice questions by clicking the letter of the correct answer, and the resulting data is displayed for the teacher.  With Plickers, there is no need for the expensive devices. Each student is assigned a Plickers card with a unique pattern, and he or she uses the same response card all year to answer questions asked by the teacher. The students respond to a question by holding up their cards, and the teacher scans the cards with a mobile device (smartphone, iPad, etc.). The results appear instantly for the teacher to view. 

To understand how it works, take a look at the sample Plickers card below. The number on each side is the number assigned to the student in the system and each card has its own unique pattern that the system recognizes. Students respond to Plickers questions by holding up their cards and rotating them so that the correct answer is at the top. 

The teacher scans the cards all at once by using the camera on a mobile device and sweeping it around the room. As the system recognizes each card, the results are displayed instantly on the teacher's mobile device.

You can download a set of these cards for free from the Plickers website. Laminating them might be a good idea for durability, but you should laminate one and try it out first. Sometimes the glare from the plastic can cause problems with scanning. You'll also need to download the Plickers app on your device either through iTunes, or Google Play.

Teachers can create a library of questions and correct answers that can be used with any of their classes. You can display questions in full screen mode from the Plickers website, or read them aloud to students. 

Here are a few ways you can start using Plickers now:

 ·         Use Plickers to find out what your students know about a topic or skill before you introduce that lesson or unit. You can save a lot of instructional time by determining the appropriate level of instruction in advance.

 ·         Plickers can be used as formative assessment during a lesson. If your students are not grasping the concepts, it’s far easier reteach those concepts that day rather than to attempt to correct confusion the next day. 

 ·         After completing a lesson, assess students with a series of Plickers questions. You can use this as a type of exit ticket. You can view the results immediately or save them for later as you plan the next day's lesson to make sure the level of instruction is appropriate. You'll also know who's going to need extra help.

If you need help getting started or have any questions, please contact a tech coach! Happy Plickering!