This new POV from the Dii team details these changes and explores the opportunities and challenges they pose for marketers. Read it on Slideshare, or download it as a PDF here.

Stimulating and continually engaging students in classrooms has always been a challenge for teachers. It has become increasingly difficult, with mobile phones, laptop computers and iPods providing students with constant distractions. i>clicker utilizes emerging technology to re-engage and connect with students inside the classroom by providing them with an optimized learning environment based on their instant feedback on specific class content.

Key Information

The i>clicker is, in essence, a simplified remote control device that uses infrared or radio frequency technology to record user responses and transmit them to a central receiving station that tabulates the responses. To implement i>clicker within a classroom or lecture, a teacher or professor develops content-specific questions and incorporates them into the curriculum at critical junctures. By polling their students at these points, the facilitator can evaluate student comprehension of the topic, identify areas of confusion and adapt the instruction based on student understanding.

The device also increases student-to-student interaction, often limited by class size and a few students dominating discussion, by allowing professors to match students with differing answers and encourage peer-to-peer discussions and learning. i>clicker can also be used to anonymously poll students on controversial issues.

In utilizing i>clicker, teachers require that students actively pay attention and engage with what is happening in the classroom by responding to poll questions. By necessitating engagement with what’s going on in the classroom, teachers turn passive learning into an interactive, participatory environment. The device also creates an immediate feedback loop for teachers, letting them know in real time whether their lessons and key content are really getting through and being absorbed by their students.

The i>clicker was originally conceived in 1997 within the University of Illinois Physics department, and to date more than 1,000 institutions of higher education in North America utilize i>clickers to facilitate active learning and ensure students are leaving the classroom with an understanding of fundamental concepts.

Implications and Action Items

i>clicker’s interactive technology revolutionizes teaching curriculums by providing teachers with timely feedback and engaging students in the classroom. The emergence of this device suggests that schools, universities and teachers are looking to technology to help them tap into instant feedback and curriculum optimization opportunities.

• Create targeted, insightful questions. While anyone can use i<clicker, not everyone can make it a meaningful teaching and learning tool. The key is to create question sets that yield valuable information, inform teaching strategies/approaches and transform the classroom from a lecture into a collaborative learning environment.
• Prepare for engagement. Ask and ye shall receive, so be sure to plan for: 1) incorporating this feedback into the curriculum and 2) how you’ll handle increased engagement. Solutions may involve making class topics more flexible, asking students to break up into smaller working groups, conducting in-class debates, etc.
• i>clicker goes mobile. In some cases, students must purchase the i>clicker device ($10) as part of their textbook requirements, but recently i>clicker has launched a mobile app that works seamlessly with their current remote and software. The web>clicker also allows students to vote and participate in classrooms from remote locations.

Download the entire POV: ICANN TLD Options POV

RTCRM Perspectives January 2011

RTCRM Perspectives February 2011

RTCRM Perspectives March 2011

RTCRM Perspectives April 2011

RTCRM Perspectives May 2011

RTCRM Perspectives June 2011

RTCRM Perspectives July 2011

RTCRM Perspectives August 2011

RTCRM Perspectives September 2011

RTCRM Perspectives October2011

RTCRM Perspectives November 2011

RTCRM Perspectives December 2011

RTCRM Perspectives December 2010

Enjoy!

RTCRM Perspectives November 2010

While I found the panel-focused conference interesting, I think the conference feel short of its mission for two reasons: 1) The panel subjects were too broad (Social Media, Cloud Computing, Web Analytics, Online Marketing, Ecommerce, Email, etc.) and this made it difficult for panelists to really delve into the weeds, and 2) the panels were too large (4 panelists and 1 moderator,) so panelists couldn’t explore/explain their experiences with emerging technology and provide attendees with insightful, implementable information.

These two factors kept the panel discussions at a very superficial, almost 101, level. While this may have been perfect for a fair portion of attendees, as someone looking for more than just a preview into the overarching digital trends, the conference fell short.

However, there were a few tidbits/facts to be mined from DigitalEast:

• 50% of all web content in 2011 will be consumed on mobile devices. Keep it mobile, keep it user friendly.
• Facebook says 30% of 2011 revenue will be from virtual sales in social games. So figure out if and how your targets use them.
• 50% of the online population is under 30 and 96% use social media. It’s time to really get to know your  Millennials.
• Analytics and Web Reporting is hot, hot, hot. It was SRO only for this session. Getting beyond the CTR and not getting too bogged down in the nitty gritty numbers were the key takeaways.
• Social Media is taking over. Companies need to have both the staffing and strategy necessary to engage.

During the conference, the #digitaleast TwitterFeed was fairly active. Given the amount of digital marketers present, the Twitter feed had a strong professional networking focus. Below is a word cloud of the #digitaleast Twitter stream.

As you can see specific attendee Twitter handles drove the conversation with their tweets, RTs and mentions. (Feed range is 10/19/2010 from 7:30am until 6pm, and excludes #digitaleast and #DigitalEast)

The bigger question is: what were the topics, aside from making professional and personal acquaintances, that attendees were actually tweetingabout? After filtering out RTs and Twitter handles, the top performing topics in the twitter stream were: social media, Facebook, mobile, Twitter, digital and online focused topics. “Content” placed strongly as well probably because many of the panels talked about types of content and how to use and manage them online.

All in all, DigitalEast was by no means a terrible conference. While the panels may have only scratched the surface of the digital trends currently speeding their way into the marketing world, the enthusiasm, camaraderie and intelligence of event attendees made the conference extremely enjoyable.

RTCRM Perspectives October 2010

Topics include:

1. Best uses of social media for retailers.
2. Children’s educational tools for smart phones.
3. Font choices for web designers.
4. Building a Facebook following for non-profits.
5. A review of Google’s ‘priority mail offering.
6. A highlight of phone apps for museums.

Get it, read it and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

RTCRM Perspectives September 2010

• The Use of Nontraditional Domains
• Targeting the Tech-Savvy Boomer
• FDA Releases Warning Letter on Video Marketing
• Text-to-Give Campaigns and Nonprofit Fundraising
• Twitter and the 2010 World Cup: When Hashtags Become Vuvuzelas
• The iPad’s Current and Potential Contribution to Health Care Professionals

Since this is the first edition, we really want to hear your thoughts. Please let us know if the information was helpful.

Download RTCRM Perspectives August 2010