Formative Assessments with Plickers

There is no doubt that digital forms of assessment are increasingly popular in modern-day classrooms. In many cases, they require students to have access to devices such as iPads or laptops. However, with Plickers, this is not the case. Through the web-based service along with an iPhone or Android app, teachers can assess students and gather data from a single handheld device. Answer cards that can be easily printed and distributed are used to record student responses.

When creating a class in Plickers, each student is assigned a number that corresponds to a card number that can be printed from the Plickers website. Students can hold up these personal cards (which resemble QR codes) to have their answers recorded by the Plickers app.  The direction that students hold the card determines the answer choice which will be recorded. There are also multiple variations on response cards that can be printed, along with laminated versions that can be purchased from Amazon.com.

Teachers can create a library of questions and correct answers that can be used with any of their classes. Once questions are planned for a certain class, you can display them in full screen from the Plickers website, or read them aloud to students.  Then, you are ready to scan responses.

Students will hold up their response cards, and through the Plickers app, a device’s camera will scan student cards.  You will be amazed at how accurate and sensitive the scanner is! In real time, teachers can see how all students are answering multiple choice or true/false questions. Reports will be provided, making it easy for teachers to assess student progress and plan future instruction.

If you are interested in trying a form of digital assessment, and you want to start with something easy to manage, Plickers may be right for you.  To learn more about this, and other forms of mobile assessment, join us for Teq Online PD’s iPad Digital Teacher Certification.  For a subscription, contact us at OnlinePD@teq.com!