Clickers, cell phones and computers come together to turn a large lecture class into a lively discussion in a Physics course taught by Eric Mazur, Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at Harvard University. Mazur explains how the educational effectiveness of clickers (also known as Personal Response Systems) depends on how he structures the class as well as how he uses the technology in this article in the Harvard Gazette. Asking the right kinds of questions and getting students to explain their thinking are key factors in improving understanding of concepts. You can observe Mazur in action and hear students’ reactions in a video taken during one of his classes.

Share This

Podcast People is a new podcasting site not just for finding podcasts to listen to, but for recording, managing, and promoting your own podcasts. Not only can you upload video and audio to the site, but with a microphone or web cam, you can record directly into your Podcast People account. There’s also the ability to add widgets to your podcasting site, including Flickr streams (or your photos) and other information. They currently have free and pay accounts, with various options to choose from.

Speaking of podcasting, Mashable also has a very, very lengthy (but informative) post with links to an overwhelming amount of podcasting info currently online.

Share This