TurningPoint is the standardized student response system at Bloomsburg University. It integrates with Microsoft PowerPoint to create interactive presentations. It allows instructors to collect, evaluate and record students' responses instantly.

Student Response Systems can be used to:

• Engage all students in the classroom, motivate students, increase student involvement;
• Provide instant feedback both for students and instructors;
• Collect students' performance data;
• Take attendance;
• Manage students' grades electronically.

Instructors

Getting Started

• Be sure the TurningPoint 2008 software and USB receiver are installed in the room that you would like to use TurningPoint in. If there is not, please submit a Help Desk ticket to have it installed.
• Download and install the TurningPoint 2008 software on your computer.
• You may come to the Instructional Media Design Center (AL 206) for a one-on-one session or participate in a workshop to learn the software.
• Remind students to purchase the response cards from the bookstore and register it through Blackboard.
• Plan your grading philosophy.
• Compile a sufficient number of good clicker questions and develop an interactive presentation.
• Run your class incorporating the student response system.

System Requirements

Steps to Setup Your TurningPoint Class

Before the class

• Create an interactive PowerPoint presentation
• Make sure students register their response card through Blackboard (PDF)
• Retrieve participant lists from Blackboard (PDF)

In the class

• Printable checklist you can bring with you to class (PDF)
  • Detailed Version
  • Short Version
• Setup response device (PDF)
• Run your presentation (PDF)
• Manage sessions (PDF)

After the class (optional)

• Generate student reports (PDF)
• Export student grades to Blackboard gradebook and/or email report to students (PDF)

Resources - Links to Best Practices, Teaching Tips etc...

There are many great resources available on the topic of student response systems. Below are links to other sites with some fantastic resources already in place.

Faculty FAQs (PDF)

Ohio State University Designing Questions for Clickers - Need some guidance designing "clicker" questions? Get some advice and examples from this site.

Ohio State University Tips for Clicker Use - This site provides some quick tips for promoting active learning experiences in large lecture courses. It also lists some challenges of clicker use and advice on how to work through them.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Best Practices - This site lists some Best Practices for clicker use which was created from faculty input after their first year of using clickers in the classroom. Also lists pedagogical uses that faculty found to be effective.

Iowa State University Clicker Teaching Tips - List some recommendations for the use of clickers in the classroom and also provides tips given by faculty members.

Teaching Ideas - Looking for ideas for your particular subject area? This site list some web resources that contain ideas for using student response systems in he classroom.

Ohio University Student Response System - This is Ohio University's SRS site. It contains a lot of good information regarding the use of clickers in the classroom. Includes videos of what instructors discussing why they use clickers in the classroom. Also includes information on making lectures interactive, designing good questions and best practices.

Other Helpful Links - This site contains links to other sites and resources that you may find helpful.

Student Resources

Purchasing Your XR Response Card

Students may purchase the XR response cards for TurningPoint's student response system through the Bloomsburg University Bookstore or Turning Technologies ecommerce site.

Turning Technologies ecommerce site

URL: http://store.turningtechnologies.com School: Bloomsburg University Code: H59z Please make sure you select Response Card XR

Registering Your XR Response Card

Registering your response card on Blackboard (PDF)

XR Response Card User Guide

XR Response Card User Guide (PDF)

Using the XR Response Card in Class

When you use your XR response card in class you will want to make sure that you have the correct channel set so your answers will be accepted. The default channel is 41 and you will most likely not have to change channels. You will also need to be in Presentation Mode in order for your answers to be accepted. Please refer to the directions below.

How to Change Channels on XR Response Card (PDF)

How to set the XR Card to Presentation Mode (PDF)

Student FAQs

Student FAQs (PDF)

Technical Support

If you are having problems with the XR response card, please contact TurningTechnologies.

Turning Technologies: www.turningtechnologies.com
Customer Service Hours of operation: Monday thru Friday (7 AM – 9 PM ET)
Customer Service Line: 1-866-746-3015
Customer Service Email: support@turningtechnologies.com

Faculty Assistance:

Please contact Julie Wolfe at jwolfe2@bloomu.edu