Clickers

Student Response System (SRS) is a technology which allows faculty to receive immediate feedback from students wirelessly with the use of small handheld devices commonly referred to as 'clickers' (displayed below). Turning Technologies is a Student Response System that has been centrally adopted by NIU starting from Fall 2011 semester.

Turning Technologies student response system can be used in conjunction with Blackboard to create a complete interactive learning experience. You can use Turning Technologies software in the classroom to engage your students and provide them with instant feedback and then upload results from your class assessments conducted with Turning Technologies SRS to Blackboard.

QT Device

Hardware - The following components are needed to run Turnin Technologies SR in a classroom or lecture hall: computer with Turning Technologie software on it, projector, receiver, and a response pad (clicker). NIU has adopted the QT Device type of student response pad (pictured on the left).

Faculty who plan to teach with clickers, can request an instructor kit from Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center at facdev@niu.edu. NIU DoIT-managed smart classrooms have Turning Technologies software already installed on faculty member stations. If you teach in your department or college supported smart classrooms, please contact your local technical staff for software information.

Software - the following software is installed in DoIT-managed smart classrooms:

  • PowerPoint Polling - allows integrating questions into existing or new PowerPoint presentations.
  • AnyWhere Polling - allows polling with any application, including whiteboard software, web browsers, PDFs, Microsoft Office products, or Keynote.
  • Self-paced Polling - allows student to take tests/quizzes at their own pace in class (similar to paper tests).

Software Download

To download the latest release, log into your Turning Account, then click on the Downloads tab.

Training and Tutorials

In addition to periodic workshops on clickers hosted by Faculty Development & Instructional Design Center, Turning Technologies also offers TurningPoint Cloud training in the form of a user guide, tutorials, instructor-led online classes, and self-paced training. All of these trainings are offered at no cost to faculty using TurningPoint and clickers. The instructor-led online classes are available multiple times each week and are typically an hour in length. These trainings are highly recommended for faculty looking to use clickers for the first time or to learn how to use the new upgraded software.

Using Blackboard with TurningPoint

Using Blackboard with TurningPoint - Quick Guide

TurningPoint for Participants - Quick Guide

Help and Support

For specific questions regarding TurningTechnologies clicker devices, please contact clickers@niu.edu.

For questions regarding the adoption of clickers in your classroom, please contact our Turning Technologies account manager:

Jessica Stickle (Account Executive): (for general questions regarding ordering and product information)
Phone: 330.531.7789| Email: jstickle@turningtechnologies.com

You can also reach Turning Techologies' technical support at 866.746.3015.

For general questions about clickers at NIU, faculty and staff can contact our office at 815-753-0595 or citl@niu.edu.

More details regarding the system are available from Turning Technologies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does TurningPoint allow for multiple user (faculty) capabilities?
Anyone with access to the computer that has TurningPoint installed can create interactive presentations. In order to import a Blackboard class roster  faculty need to log in to Blackboard with their NIU AccountID and Password. To do that, they must have the role of an instructor in the course.


Login to Blackboard

Get Help

Technical Support and Student Help

Division of IT Service Desk

815-753-8100
servicedesk@niu.edu

Teaching Support and Faculty Help

Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning

815-753-0595
citl@niu.edu

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