Plickers is an assessment tool made by a teacher who was looking for a quick and simple way to check student understanding. This assessment tool allows teachers to collect on-the-spot formative assessment data without the need to have students use devices or paper and pencil. Teachers can use this tool with previous planning or on the go as needed. This tool provides teachers with the data needed to inform their instruction. It’s a data collection tool that’s helpful for teachers and fun for the students.
Learning takes place through online games and lessons. Students stay engaged throughout the assessment because they find the Assessment activity to be fun.
Ease of Use
Very simple to use for students. They just need to rotate a card to show their answer. Very simple for teachers to use the app, to scan, and to project answers. Questions can be loaded previously or as a “need to” basis. Plickers cards are easy to handle, and come in different sizes typical to larger auditoriums, and in larger size fonts for younger students to be able to read.
Privacy
The user (teacher) only has to provide First, Last name, email, username and password. Personal information is not shared. On the privacy page, Plickers says that it does require the first and last name of students and may collect data Privacy policy states how location, use and cookies is used. There are also opt-out options available. Students’ answers are also private, and are very hard to be seen by other students.
Accessibility
Students of all ages can use this tool. Students with learning and physical disabilities can also use this tool. Modifications would have to be made for the visually impaired and students with motor skill impairment. Plickers cards come with larger fonts for younger students and in larger sizes for large classrooms or auditoriums.
Access
Plickers accounts can be managed from the web but teachers need the Plickers mobile app in order to scan students’ cards and see their responses. The Plickers app is free for both iOS and Android. The app can be used on phones and tablets.
Power & Bias
Tool marginalizes educators who do not have access to smart devices or the Internet in their classrooms. Students do not need access to technology to use this tool. Numbers/Symbols are used instead of written languages. Website is for English language speakers. Power and bias would be present mostly for the account holder.
Impact on Student Learning
Tool helps students stay engaged during formative assessments. Worry-free way for all students to participate in answering questions with anonymity. Teachers can get immediate feedback to inform their instruction. Plickers is not just a fun online assessment tool for students but it’s also fun and simple to use for teachers. Plickers allows you to check in on student understanding. With the data collected you can inform your instruction for a follow up class or in real time. Students stay engaged as they watch to see if their card was scanned, and their answer displayed. The cards can either be bought online or downloaded and printed. Students of all ages find Plickers fun and easy to use. There are two views to see the data collected, Students mode and graph mode. Students mode, shows all the students cards and names, and whether they have answered or not. The graph view shows the way students answered. On both views you have the option to show the correct answer. One of my favorite features is that you can sign in to your account when planning your lesson or if at some point during instruction you need immediate feedback, opening the app and adding a question is hassle free!
Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR model offers a lens for examining how technology is adopted in a classroom. As you strive to incorporate online tools into your classroom, we encourage you to use this model as an analytic tool.
Here is an example of how Plickers might fit within the SAMR model:
Substitution: Students use Plickers as a formative assessment instead of a paper and pencil formative assessment or asking students to raise their hands to answer a question.
Augmentation: The teacher can quickly collect responses from the entire class and view the data in real time.
Modification: The teacher can adapt their instruction in real time based on the data provided from Plickers.
Redefinition: Plickers is not sufficiently flexible on its own to reach the redefinition stage of SAMR.
Assessment Activities
Math
Students solve equations or word problems. Teacher provides answers to choose from. Math problems can vary in difficulty. Here’s an example of an upper elementary classroom solving a division equation using dry erase boards, and then sharing their answers with the Plickers card.
English Language Arts
Teachers can assess reading comprehension. Story plot questions can be posted with 4 possible answers to chose from.
Science
Teachers can use Plicker as a pre-assessment before the start of a unit. Students can answer questions related to a new science unit about Sustainable Development, such as “What is Sustainable Development?”. Teachers can inform their planning after analyzing student data from the pre-assessment.
Social Studies
Teachers can check on students’ “Recent Events” knowledge by asking questions about real time recent events.
Fun Voting Activities
First graders are always wanting to vote on possible reward choices. Use Plickers to vote on which movie your class will get to watch as a reward.
Here you will see a Demo Class, and any classes already added to your account, and a tab that says “Add new class”
Screenshot classes page Plickers.org
Click on Add new class
You will be asked to Name the class, select grade level, select subject, and assign a color to identify the new class
Click Save
The new class should now appear on your Classes page
Creating a Folder
Sign In
go to Library
Look for New Folder logoand click on it
You can use up to 30 characters to name the New Folder
Press Save
Adding new questions
Sign In
Go to Library
Click on desired Folder
You will see previous questions and a New Question icon, click on New Question
You will be asked to
Add question text
Choose between Multiple Choice or True/False
Write in A, B, C, D answers
Click on all possible correct answers
Click Save to leave Click Save and create new to add more questions
Printing the Plickers cards
Sign In
Go to Cards
Select desired Plickers card that suit your class needs
Print
Scanning the Plickers cards on your phone or tablet
Press the Plickers icon
Press Sign In
Write in Email, and Password
Press Done
Choose class
In Queue, you will see available questions that haven’t been used for assessment
In History, you will see already used questions
Press on the question you wish to assess students with
Using Live View post the question on screen
Press blue Scan button
You will see an overlay of the students
Make sure the cards are visible, you may move phone to capture all cards
Green indicates correct answers, Red indicates incorrect answers, Dark Grey indicates invalid answers and Light Grey indicates students have not been scanned.
Press the checkmark when complete
Answers can be seen by teacher, using the web site you may also post students names with answers, or chart graph without the students names with the answers.
