If you are using a PC, you will need:

• Windows XP Windows Vista* operating system
• One available USB port
• Projection system (highly recommended)
• Screen resolution of 1024 x 768

*Contact technical support for a separate solution for Windows 2000.

If you are using a Macintosh, you will need:

• Max OS X version 10.4.2 or higher
• One available USB port
• Projection system (highly recommended)
• Screen resolution of 1024 x 768

* You can obtain a free update at www.apple.com by running the OS X Software Update utility. Be sure that the option to install 10.3.9 is checked on the Software Update list and click the Install button.

As noted above, the screen resolution on your computer needs to be set to 1024 x 768 in order to view the full i>grader application. To check your settings (and to make sure your resolution is properly set), go to "Control Panel" and locate the "Display" icon. Go to "Settings," locate "Screen Resolution," and move the arrow to "more" or 1024 x 768. Note that we now support both large and normal font display settings (96 and 120 DPI) but your computer will still need a screen resolution of 1024 x 768.

Yes, it has been tested and works well with the new Leopard OS for Macintosh computers.

Yes, it has been tested and works well with the new Vista OS for PC computers.

Yes. You can put your question information—the question title and corresponding correct answer--into a .csv file, most often in Excel or Notepad, that i>clicker will read and record. Most i>clicker users use this feature only when moving quickly through questions, such as during a quiz or review. For step-by-step instructions on creating your question list files, see pages 43-44 of the User Guide, available in our Downloads area . Note: many users find that it is just as fast, and much easier, to simply use the "e" function on the instructor’s remote during class to designate correct answers, which are then saved to i>grader. The User Guide also contains information about using the instructor’s remote.

You can review your questions later because i>clicker takes a screen capture of whatever is on your computer screen when you complete polling (i.e. press "stop" on the i>clicker menu bar). Most often, you will have a question on the screen or some indicator to jog your memory of what you asked.

Yes! i>clicker adopts a non-exclusive approach and partners with Bedford, Freeman, & Worth Publishers; Cengage (all imprints); Elsevier; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; Pearson Education (all imprints); and Wiley Publishers to provide with high-quality, book-related clicker questions. Note that you can always use i>clicker with other publishers’ materials as most publishers provide clicker content in PowerPoint and Word formats, both of which work easily with i>clicker. We have the largest number of publisher partners of any clicker company and will continue to work with higher education and specialty publishers on a non-exclusive basis.

Yes. You can use i>clicker with PowerPoint by simply writing your questions in a PowerPoint slide, just as you would any other course content. In fact, if you have an existing presentation/lecture with multiple choice, T/F, or yes/no questions, you need not re-author your presentation. The unobtrusive i>clicker menu bar floats in front of your PowerPoint slideshow, enabling you to poll at any point during your presentation (i.e. on a question slide). Each time you enable polling, i>clicker takes a picture of your screen (i.e. your question) for your later review of questions/responses. No additional work is required.

i>clicker works seamlessly with all Macintosh or PC software applications (e.g. Keynote, Adobe, Word, Flash, etc), allowing you the utmost flexibility in presentation preparation. Because the i>clicker menu bar floats in front of any application, i>clicker appears integrated with whatever application you choose. This menu bar enables you to poll at any point during your presentation (i.e. a question in a Word document) and takes a picture of your screen for your later review of questions/responses. Thus, i>clicker doesn’t have to "convert" your content into a PowerPoint slide show. Many i>clicker users prefer Adobe, Flash, Word, Keynote, and even Notepad to PowerPoint. We don’t force you to change your preferred presentation application. With i>clicker, you can even pose question from CDs, DVDs, or the internet—your options are limitless.

Yes. The i>clicker floating menu bar sits atop any application (such as Mathematica, PowerPoint, Acrobat, Word, Internet Explorer, etc). There is also a new minimize button to allow you to hide the i>clicker software at your discretion.

In Keynote Slideshow Preferences, there is an option labeled "Allow Expose, Dashboard, and others to use the screen." If you check this, and then open i>clicker, the control bar should appear on the screen.

Yes, you can! i>clicker’s “On the Fly” text box is available from within from the i>clicker floating menu bar so you don’t have to quit your presentation to insert a spontaneous question. Your screen shot and question data are captured in i>grader for later review and point assignment. Note that you don’t have to use the “On the Fly” function in order to ask a spontaneous question—it is simply designed as a convenience so you don’t have to exit your presentation application. But many instructors ask the question verbally or via the chalkboard and then begin polling without formally typing a question into any software.

The i>clicker receiver does not require a line of sight to receive responses, and can thus be placed anywhere in your classroom. For best performance and maximum range, we recommend against placing the receiver inside any type of metal enclosure, such as a metal podium; however, we have customers who do lock the receiver in metal and still the range is unaffected.

Unlike infrared systems, the i>clicker receiver is a plug-and-play solution. You only need one USB connection and your receiver is powered by your computer. The receiver works with both USB 1.1. and 2.0 standards.

One receiver has a range of 250+ feet. Only one receiver is required for a typical university classroom. We’ve been used in many of the largest lecture halls in North America (Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier, University of Toronto, Cornell University, and University of Manitoba); such adopters tested our range and signal before adopting and found our signal to be exceptionally strong.

Each i>clicker receiver can process up to 1500 votes and accepts up to 750 per second. Votes are generally received and confirmed in less than .01 seconds. i>clicker is used successfully in the largest lecture in North America 1300 students in one lecture hall at Cornell University.

No. i>clicker operates at 915 MHz, and so it will never interfere with campus Wi-Fi technologies, including Internet, cell phones, and wireless microphones.

The i>clicker base units can be set to any of 16 different sub-frequencies to prevent interference with nearby classrooms if two instructors are using i>clicker in close proximity. The default frequency is set to AA for both the base and the student remotes. You can change your sub-frequency via the i>clicker Settings/Preferences. For more information and instructions, consult the User Guide, available in our Downloads area .

i>clicker can also deliver “hard wired” bases where the sub-frequency is determined and “hard coded” by your IT administrators. This solution is attractive to schools interested in installing the bases into set classrooms and coordinating sub-frequency channels institutionally. If your campus has standardized on i>clicker as a centrally supported system, this solution may already be in place. Contact your IT administrator for details. If you are interested in learning more, contact sales@iclicker.com for more information about this option.

If you have chosen a non-standard frequency (e.g. BA) in Settings and Preferences, i>clicker will alert your students to this change when you begin polling. Students will be instructed to:

• Press the On/Off (power) button on their clicker until the blue Power light begins flashing (about 2 seconds).
• Press the new two-letter code (that you’ve designated in your Settings/Preferences). A green Vote Status light will indicate your students have successfully reset their remote frequency.

The entire process takes about 3 seconds. This code will remain in place for the duration of the lecture/session (as long as the remote is on). Students will need to repeat this procedure for every lecture, which is why setting one code for the entire term will be easier to administer and communicate. Directions for changing a remote’s frequency are on the back of every remote. You may also adjust or disable your frequency change alert preferences via Settings/Preferences.

The i>clicker system has a unique protocol—that is, a unique way for the receiver and remotes communicate with each other. We considered adopting a protocol similar to competing systems, where the receiver would automatically find the frequency for the students. But our preliminary research directed us to rethink the approach. Our initial reviewer board (users of competing systems) all complained about students being required to register before voting could occur—they felt they lost 2-3 classes just trying to get students registered. So, we wanted to make sure i>clicker could collect and record votes regardless of whether the students were registered or not. Another aggravation consistently voiced by the reviewer board was the daily log-in procedure in which remotes must be “acknowledged” by the receiver before the remote can vote in the session. So, like the forced registration, we wanted to eliminate the daily log-in. Why do we explain all of this? Because these are the reasons we chose a protocol that requires students to change the remote frequency. We feel that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks because today’s students are generally very tech savvy, and even those who are not can easily find the directions to change their frequency on the back of their remotes.

Changing the operating frequency prevents interference with nearby classrooms. By “interference” we mean student votes crossing over from classroom to classroom. All radio frequency response systems must offer varying frequencies in order to keep votes contained in the intended classroom. But you only need change the frequency if another i>clicker user is in a nearby room.

The i>clicker hardware can be used for as many courses as you like. To use the system with multiple courses, copy or download a separate copy of the i>clicker software (MyCourse PC or MyCourse Mac folders) for each course you are teaching. For example, if you are teaching Psychology 101 and Psychology 210, download two copies of the software folder. Name one folder Psych 101 and the other Psych 210. You can either copy the software from the flash drive you received in your adopter’s kit or you can elect to download the software from our site.

The i>clicker base protocol is unique and allows for a superior system in terms of reliability and accuracy of vote collection. There is a 0% chance of dropped or lost votes with i>clicker, as compared to the typical 5-6% with competing systems. This translates into a system that students trust and results in fewer headaches for you.

The i>clicker base/receiver features a unique LCD screen that enables you to view polling results as polling occurs without having to project results to the students. This is a useful tool to monitor student voting progress and choices without displaying the graph to the whole class. Information is updated every second, and includes the timer on the upper left, the total vote count on the upper right, and the distribution of votes by percentage across the 5 choices across the bottom.

Though we have a very low defective rate for our receivers (less than .0125%), we are always happy to help troubleshoot and/or replace a receiver you suspect may be defective. Contact our technical support team at support@iclicker.com or toll-free at 866.209.5698 with warranty questions or issues with your receiver.

When a student has voted successfully (that is, a vote has been received and confirmed), the “Vote Status” light on the student’s remote will turn solid green. If the student’s vote was not received, the vote status light will flash red, indicating that the student will need to vote again. The most common reasons a student would see a red flashing light are:

1. Polling is not active. If the student tries to vote either before you start polling or after polling is closed, the vote status light will flash red.
2. The remote and receiver are not on the same frequency. If you change your frequency from the default, students will need to change the frequency on their remotes to match that of the receiver. If a student forgets to change the frequency, s/he will see a red flashing vote status light when trying to vote.

Students can change responses as long as the polling remains active/open. During an active polling period, i>clicker records each student’s last response. Once polling for a particular question has stopped, any response changes will not be received (and the vote status light will flash red).

On the top of the i>clicker remote is a “Vote Status” light. The “Vote Status” light will flash green once, indicating the vote has been sent and confirmed. A red flashing light indicates that the vote was not received. Note that the green light only flashes once, while the red light flashes three times. The difference in LED displays was designed considering the needs of color blind students.

There are no technical differences between the blue and white remotes--the color difference simply allows you to keep track of your own remotes. The white remotes are those sold to students--we do not sell the blue remotes to students. Each instructor kit includes two blue remotes (one for the instructor’s remote function and one as a possible loaner to students).

A white remote can be substituted for the blue remote without loss of functionality. However, if you require a replacement for your instructor’s remote, please contact our sales department toll-free at 1.888.938.8881 from 9-5 EST Monday-Friday or email us at sales@iclicker.com.

The blue instructor remote looks and functions exactly like the white student remote until you (the instructor) designate it as your instructor remote via the i>clicker software (in Settings/Preference). Once enabled, your 5 clicker choices (A, B, C, D, E) become control commands, thus allowing you to control polling and your presentation from anywhere in the room. It also enables you to use the remote as wireless mouse in advancing/retreating your presentation slides. Instructor remotes come with stickers that you can affix to your remote as a reminder to the control commands.

To designate any i>clicker remote as an “instructor’s remote,” you must enter the remote ID in field #5 (Designated Instructor’s Remote) of General Settings and Preferences. The remote ID is the unique 8-character serial number on the back of every i>clicker remote. If you plan to use the same instructor’s remote regularly, select “Set for Course” in the Settings/Preferences. If you plan to use the remote for just one session, then choose “Set for Session.”

New batteries supply approximately 200 hours of use. The “Low Battery” light will flash red when the user has 10 hours or less of battery power remaining. Each remote uses 3 AAA batteries, which are inexpensive to replace. New i>clicker remotes include 3 AAA Energizer batteries.

Yes, actually i>clicker offers two battery-saving features. As long as a remote is actively communicating with a receiver (i.e. a student uses it to vote), that remote will remain on for 90 minutes after the last vote. If a remote is accidentally turned on or buttons compressed but that remote is not communicating with a receiver (i.e. in a backpack or purse), the remote will automatically turn off after 5 minutes.

The battery compartment is on the back of the i>clicker remote and can be opened using a paperclip or pen cap. Open the compartment, remove and replace the batteries. No screwdriver or special device is required.

i>clicker offers a standard one-year limited warranty on each new i>clicker remote. If a clicker is defective, the process of returning it will depend upon how the student obtained/purchased it. If purchased through the campus bookstore, students may return it to the bookstore with proof of purchase. If purchased as a department or in a class set, the user will need to contact us at sales@iclicker.com to request a replacement and return the defective unit to us for analysis.

The i>clicker remote has been through rigorous durability and drop testing and repeatedly survived falls from 6 feet (1.83 meters). The chances of your students getting a defective i>clicker remote are very small as our hardware is extremely reliable. We have less than a .0007% defective remote rate. For more information, please see our warranty document .

Yes. You can use spare remotes as loaners to students who may have lost a remote or forgotten to bring one to class. The remote ID can be assigned to a student for a single session, and the same remote can be reassigned in future sessions. Each instructor’s adopter kit includes two blue remotes, and while one remote is generally used as the instructor’s remote, sometimes the other is used for loaning purposes. However, many professors opt not to offer loaner remotes because of class size and potential administrative problems. You will want to consider a set of ground rules before offering students an option to borrow remotes in order to minimize your class disruption.

Two reasons: student cost and accessibility. The LCD screens available with competing clickers are often small and hard to read. Our inventors found that when students were focusing on their remote hardware, they were less likely to focus on the content but instead focusing on the technology. Moreover, the LCD display often does not offer sufficient light for dim lecture halls or students with mild visual disabilities. With the i>clicker remote, a green/red vote status LED light is much easier to see in dim lecture halls and is more friendly to students with visual impairments. A green light means not only vote was sent but also confirmed/stored. A red flashing light means the vote was not received.

i>clicker currently offers two standard registration methods: in-class registration and online (web-based) registration, both of which are free and are easily incorporated into your course. Minimal information is required of your students and both registration options are tied to your class roster. The instructor should select which option he/she will use and notify students accordingly. We are in the process of launching a new registration tool that works with your campus course management system (e.g. Blackboard, Vista, ANGEL, and Moodle). This requires installation of a plug-in/extension by your campus course management administrator. Interested in beta testing the i>clicker integrate solution? Contact support@iclicker.com to learn more.

Yes! i>clicker offers institutions the option to host their own registration site or use their own LDAP authentication with our national database; we can provide the requisite PERL scripts and administration support. For complete instructions on these options, please visit the Downloads area of our site .

The data collected by i>clicker is minimal and meaningless when disconnected from the professor’s roster, contained only on the desktop. The i>clicker web registration process was specifically designed to consider privacy/FERPA laws.

Students who register their clicker online via our national database must enter their last name, first name, student ID, as determined by the professor, and i>clicker remote ID. This data is stored on a SQL server database owned by Macmillan, the parent company of i>clicker. We do not collect or store the students’ IP addresses, nor do we request student school affiliation, course information, or email address. As a result, the data is purposefully of no use outside of registration.

Specifically, as related to FERPA, we don’t collect non-directory student information in an interpretable and traceable way. For example, we won’t know if a Michael Lee registered on our site is from the University of California-Irvine or New York University—the information can’t be traced to an individual state or school.

However, we also recognize that many campuses prefer to host registration on campus to further protect the data. Our campus-hosted registration options are easy and we will be happy to consult with you in implementing a locally-hosted registration system.

The new i>clicker integrate, available for beta testing summer and fall 2008 with a full launch in 2009, will enable your students to register from within the campus CMS. This solution does require involvement from your CMS/IT administrator and the installation of a plug-in/extension. You can find more information on i>clicker integrate on our Course Management product page .

No, students do not need to be registered in order for i>clicker to collect votes. For students who are not yet registered, responses will be associated with the respective remote IDs. In other words, you can use i>clicker to collect data/votes from the very first day of class and eventually tie all students to their remote IDs through either roll call registration or web site registration.

The Web Synchronization feature in i>grader will connect the serial numbers of clickers that have been used to vote in your class with your students’ online registrations. To make use of this feature, you will first need to make sure your roster is included in your course folder. You will also need to ensure that you’ve used i>clicker at least once in lecture. Don’t worry – your student’s votes will still be recorded and saved even if you do not synchronize right away. Many instructors choose to synchronize online registrations after the term’s add/drop period has passed. You will need to be connected to the Internet to enable web synchronization to work.

i>grader now has two new tools that allow you to search for and delete batches of unregistered clicker records, and to generate reports of unregistered students. Consult the User Guide (pages 17-18), available on the Downloads section for more details.

If you have session data and still cannot synchronize the data, try checking your roster file to make sure that it is formatted properly. Visit our Documentation area for more information on Registration Tips and Options .If you are still having trouble, please contact our Support Center toll free at 866-209-5698, or you can send an email to support@iclicker.com and they will be happy to assist you.

i>clicker is an executable and requires no installation or hard drive space. It is a completely plug-and-play solution. Software is freely available to everyone, is open source, and is downloadable via the Downloads area of our website .

A histogram of your students’ results can be displayed either by clicking the “Display” button on the i>clicker floating menu bar, or pressing the “B” key on the designated instructor’s remote. You may also see results without having to display the histogram through the LCD screen on your receiver. The LCD data is updated every second, and includes the timer on the upper left, the total vote count on the upper right, and the distribution, by percentage, of votes across the 5 choices across the bottom.

Note that you control when and if the voting results are displayed; i>clicker does not automatically launch the voting results graph for pedagogical reasons. The flexibility of the i>clicker graph, combined with the LCD results feature, enable you to decide when and if voting results are displayed.

You may also view and export session results and reports after class using i>grader, the i>clicker grade book application.

Each i>clicker session is saved in a comma-delimited .CSV file, named according to the date and time the session was held. These files are then read by i>grader and presented in an easy-to-view grade book. i>grader includes options to export the data to a large variety of formats, including Blackboard Enterprise Vista. Users can choose to export a single session, multiple sessions, or the entire term’s data with the export tools.

Yes, i>clicker supports virtually every course management system, including:

• Blackboard
• Blackboard Enterprise (formerly WebCT)
• ANGEL
• Moodle
• Desire2Learn
• Sakai

We support your course management system integration needs in two ways:

• Manual integration: i>clicker polling data is specifically formatted for your designated course management system—enabling a quick and painless transfer of data from i>grader to your campus system. We offer step-by-step documentation for each system.
• New! i>clicker integrate (in beta testing for fall 2008 classes) allows for seamless, one-click integration of data between your campus course management system and i>clicker. This solution does require IT involvement and installation of a plug-in/extension. We offer i>clicker integrate for Blackboard, Blackboard Enterprise (Vista and Campus Edition), Moodle, and ANGEL.

As we hear time and again from our user community, i>clicker hardware and software are extremely reliable and software crashes are extremely rare--unheard of, in fact. If your computer (or operating system) crashes, there are additional protective measures in place. A few small files are generated each time a poll is conducted and the raw data files are updated. If a system were to crash mid-lecture, you would not lose any data that had occurred previous to the crash.

A zero indicates that the student did respond in class but did not meet your requirement for earning points. Ab (absent) indicates that the student did not provide any responses for a session. A student who missed class or did not answer any questions would receive an Ab. This value is treated as zero points for calculating averages, but is displayed differently to indicate at a glance that the student did not participate or was not in class.

There is not a definitive answer to this question. Users and recent academic literature indicate that clickers are most effective when they are associated with “nominal” points, but not “too many” points. You need to assign enough credit so that students are motivated to bring their remotes to class and to hopefully think about the question being asked. Remarkably, a small number of points (less than 10% of the course grade) is often enough to motivate students to participate in class using their i>clicker remotes.

Many experienced clicker users discourage colleagues from assigning a lot of points to clicker questions, especially in large, introductory or survey courses. When clicker questions carry too much point value, the clicker becomes one more tool the student fears, and they are less likely to give an honest answer because they fear they will lose too many points. It can also encourage cheating.

Truth be told, though, it all depends on how you structure your course, your points, and your overall course goals. We also have a number of happy i>clicker users who weigh clicker questions heavily, but do so as part of a small group approach for courses with 20-30 juniors and seniors working in teams. For more information on this topic and to discuss your ideas with others, please visit our user community area .

There are no fees required of the school or the students. The only cost is for the hardware--the student remotes. The only recurring costs for the hardware are for replacement batteries.

The best way to start over with i>clicker is to download a new copy of the software from http://www.iclicker.com. This will ensure you have the latest version of our software. Be sure to archive your old course folder for your records.

Definitely — i>clicker and i>grader are both open source and can be adapted to meet your needs. We also offer a common API in .NET for programmers. If you would like a copy of our source code or API, please send your request to us at support@iclicker.com.

The intentionally simple design of i>clicker is inherently better suited to students with visual impairments. Most visually impaired individuals are able to navigate i>clicker’s simple six buttons using the raised battery compartment as a tactile reference point. We considered the needs of color blind student in creating the light patterns: the steady light of the received vote status LED versus the blinking light for votes that have not yet been received. We also offer Braille stickers that can be placed alongside the buttons. These are available through a special request of your i>clicker representative. Vibrating clickers (available fall 2008) will further allow blind students to receive a vibrating vote confirmation. For more detailed information about i>clicker’s 508/Accessible features, consult our VPAT guide .

Yes, we offer daily online training sessions for our users, led by an experienced i>clicker trainer. In-person training is available to qualified instructors and most institutional adoptions where i>clicker is the centrally supported system on campus.

No, i>clicker is supported by a large network of publishers. We have adopted a “non-exclusive” publisher approach, so that you have the freedom to choose the textbook and clickers of your choice.

The i>clicker plastic and packaging are recyclable and all electronic components are ROHS (Restriction Of Hazardous Substances)—which means no heavy metals (lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium) and Organic (polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers or Polybrominated Biphenyl) substances. All items, of course, have to be recycled properly.

Yes, i>clicker technical support is available for instructors as well as students from 9:00 a. m. - 11:00 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. You can contact Technical Support Center toll free at 866-209-5698 or support@iclicker.com.

Current and new users of i>clicker can double-click the WebUpdate icon in the course folder to update both i>clicker and i>grader applications. When you run WebUpdate, you will not lose your class data nor will your data be adjusted or changed. You can run WebUpdate at any point during your course term; in fact we advise it. Both the Mac and PC software folders contain the WebUpdate application. You may also download the latest software from http://www.iclicker.com.

Like many instructors, yours has decided that incorporating classroom response system technology helps foster discussion among your classmates, gives your instructor a clear sense of how the class is doing, and ultimately improves comprehension and learning. These results have been confirmed repeatedly by education studies.

Once you remove your clicker from its packaging, you will need to pull the clear plastic “Pull” tab from the back of the remote to activate the batteries. On the front of your clicker you will notice there are 6 options: A, B, C, D, E, and On/Off. The On/Off button is what you press to both turn it on (resulting in a sold blue light by the “Power” indicator at the top of your clicker) and off (removing the solid blue light).

Simply go to your bookstore, and tell them that you need to place an order for a stand-alone i>clicker remote, and the manufacturer is Macmillan Publishing Services (MPS, formerly VHPS). If they need an ISBN, have them call our sales department at 888.938.8881. The bookstore will then give you an idea of cost and when you can return to pick it up. Bookstore policies vary, so you may be asked to pay for the remote before they will place the order. You may also want to explore Amazon if your needs are more urgent.

New batteries supply approximately 200 hours of use. The “Low Battery” light will flash red when you need to replace your batteries. Once this light begins flashing, you have 10 hours or less of battery power remaining. Your clicker uses 3 AAA batteries, which are inexpensive to replace. New i>clicker remotes include 3 AAA batteries.

On the back of your i>clicker is a small slot. You will need to insert a paperclip or similar device (such as the tip of a pen) to release the battery cover, allowing you to remove and replace the batteries. Please note that you need to replace ALL THREE batteries.  On occasion, the third battery will stick in the compartment and requires a tap to release it. Please DO NOT use Duracell batteries as they are shorter than other batteries and therefore not suitable for i>clicker remotes.

i>clicker remotes have two battery-saving features. As long as a remote is actively communicating with a receiver (i.e. you are using it to vote), the remote will remain on for 90 minutes after the last vote. If a remote is accidentally turned on or buttons are compressed but the remote is not communicating with a receiver (i.e. in a backpack or purse), the remote will automatically turn off after 5 minutes.

Yes, as long as your other instructors are also using i>clicker software and hardware. There are other clickers available, none of which are cross-compatible, so you will need to confirm that your other professors are also using i>clicker and not another system.

Yes, as long as you are not taking the same class at the same time.

There is a standard one-year limited warranty on your clicker. If a problem occurs during class, let your instructor know immediately. He or she may have a loaner clicker available for you to use for the duration of the class. If your clicker is defective, your process of returning it will depend upon how you obtained it. If you purchased it through your bookstore, you may return it to the bookstore. If a particular department on your campus provided it to you, you will need to check with that department to determine their replacement policy. If you purchased a previously-used clicker, you will need to consult with that particular source for replacement options.

We also recommend that you contact our Technical Support Center for troubleshooting tips and guidance toll free at 866-209-5698, or you can send an email with your particular concern to support@iclicker.com.

NOTE ON DEFECTIVE REMOTES: i>clicker remotes have an exceptionally low defective rate. Most remotes returned as defective simply need three new size AAA batteries. If you are having trouble with your remote, please first replace ALL THREE batteries. On occasion, the third battery will stick in the compartment and requires a tap to release it. Please DO NOT use Duracell batteries as they are shorter than other batteries and therefore not suitable for i>clicker remotes.

Yes, there is technical support available for students. You can call our Technical Support Center toll free at 866-209-5698 or send an email to support@iclicker.com.

Not necessarily. Your instructor will likely tell you if s/he expects you to register your clicker in one of the first few classes of the term. Some instructors opt for students to use i>clicker to respond to questions during class anonymously and never require students to register.

Most instructors, though, do require you to register your i>clicker to your name/student ID at some point. Often, they use your clicker responses to assign points as a reward for participating in class. Other professors also assign points for selecting correct answers. In order to give you credit for using your i>clicker during class, registration is then essential. One benefit to i>clicker: you don’t have to register your clicker before being able to use it; however, you will want to be sure to register by the deadline given by your professor.

i>clicker offers instructors two registration methods. Your professor will choose which method you will use and instruct you accordingly. Please pay close attention to any specific registration instructions your professor has for you (e.g. which student ID to use).

You register a used i>clicker remote in the exact same manner as a new i>clicker remote (instructions above). You need not do anything special or different in order to register a used remote.

Your clicker ID (or remote ID) is a series of 8 numbers and letters located the back of the remote, just below the i>clicker instructions.

Your clicker ID may contain the number zero, but will not contain the letter O.

Your student ID is assigned to you by your school, but you will want to consult with your instructor before proceeding to ensure you are using the correct student identifier. We know that in many cases, you might have several different student IDs; therefore, to save your and your instructor’s time, please check with your instructor for specifics about which student ID to use before registering online.

You do not need to enter your school during online registration. You only need to enter your first and last name, your student ID (see above), and your i>clicker remote ID, located on the white sticker on the back of your remote.

After you have successfully registered via the Web site, you will receive the following confirmation message: “Thanks! Your clicker has been registered with the system.” You will not, however, receive a confirmation email, as we don’t like to collect your email address as it could violate student privacy laws.

No. You only need to register once online for your registration information to apply to all of the classes in which you are using i>clicker. Exception: the one point of possible confusion is if your instructors are using different student IDs to record your grades. Make sure you consult with your professors about the proper student ID required when you register online.

It is very easy. From the scrolling names, look for your name and/or student ID. When your name appears in “Step Two,” a letter will appear to the right of your student ID. Press that letter on your i>clicker remote. A second letter will appear to the right of your student ID in “Step Three”. Press that second letter and you have now successfully registered your i>clicker remote.

No problem; you’ll have your opportunity again. Just wait for your name to appear at the top of the screen again. Names will continue to scroll on the screen until all students have registered.

There is no cost. After purchasing your clicker, it is yours to use in as many classes as required without any additional costs or recurring registration fees.

If you used incorrect information during the Web site registration process, please register again with the correct information.

I registered online but my professor says I have not registered yet.
This could be caused by two possible factors.

1. Have you voted in class with your remote yet? If you have not voted with your i-clicker remote, then your professor’s gradebook will not recognize your registration.
2. You may have entered the incorrect i>clicker remote ID or the wrong student ID. Re-register online using the correct information and the incorrect registration will simply be ignored.

There is no need to un-register your remote, even if you will no longer be using it. Registration does not alter the i>clicker remote in any way, and the registration database is cleared automatically at the end of each semester.

No. Because your remote ID is unique, once registered, the remote will only be tied to you. Note, that even though you can share your i>clicker remote with a roommate or friend, you cannot share it with another student in the same class.

This is a decision your instructor will make. S/he has the option to assign points for participation or attendance, to assign points for correct responses, or to simply use your responses for attendance purposes. Your class syllabus or course web site will generally include the grading policy for the course, including the policies for clicker questions.

At the top of your clicker are three light indicators (Power, Low Battery, and Vote Status). The “Vote Status” light will flash green, indicating your vote has been received and confirmed. A red flashing light indicates that your vote was not received and you will need to vote again. Your clicker will also flash red if you vote when your instructor has not begun polling or has stopped polling.

You are able to change your response as long as the polling remains active. As long as your professor is accepting votes, i>clicker will record your last response. Once your instructor stops polling, any vote change will not be recorded (and your “Status” light will flash red three times).

Not sure if your instructor is still polling? Look on the floating polling bar on his/her screen. If you see the words “Done,” s/he has stopped allowing students to vote for that question.

If you are using a PC, you will need:

• Windows XP Windows Vista* operating system
• One available USB port
• Projection system (highly recommended)
• Screen resolution of 1024 x 768

*Contact technical support for a separate solution for Windows 2000.

If you are using a Macintosh, you will need:

• Max OS X version 10.4.2 or higher
• One available USB port
• Projection system (highly recommended)
• Screen resolution of 1024 x 768

* You can obtain a free update at www.apple.com by running the OS X Software Update utility. Be sure that the option to install 10.3.9 is checked on the Software Update list and click the Install button.

As noted above, the screen resolution on your computer needs to be set to 1024 x 768 in order to view the full i>grader application. To check your settings (and to make sure your resolution is properly set), go to "Control Panel" and locate the "Display" icon. Go to "Settings," locate "Screen Resolution," and move the arrow to "more" or 1024 x 768. Note that we now support both large and normal font display settings (96 and 120 DPI) but your computer will still need a screen resolution of 1024 x 768.

Yes, it has been tested and works well with the new Leopard OS for Macintosh computers.

Yes, it has been tested and works well with the new Vista OS for PC computers.

Yes. Instructors can put question information—the question title and corresponding correct answer--into a .csv file, most often in Excel or Notepad, that i>clicker will read and record. Most i>clicker users use this feature only when moving quickly through questions, such as during a quiz or review. For step-by-step instructions on creating your question list files, see pages 43-44 of the User Guide, available in our Downloads area . Note: many users find that it is just as fast, and much easier, to simply use the "e" function on the instructor’s remote during class to designate correct answers, which are then saved to i>grader. The User Guide also contains information about using the instructor’s remote.

i>clicker takes a screen capture of whatever is on the computer screen when the instructor presses “start” on the i>clicker menu bar. These screen captures are available for review in i>grader (i>clicker’s integrated gradebook), along with student voting data and editing functions.

Yes! i>clicker adopts a non-exclusive approach and partners with Bedford, Freeman, & Worth Publishers; Cengage (all imprints); Elsevier; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; Pearson Education (all imprints); and Wiley Publishers to provide with high-quality, book-related clicker questions. Note that you can always use i>clicker with other publishers’ materials as most publishers provide clicker content in PowerPoint and Word formats, both of which work easily with i>clicker. We have the largest number of publisher partners of any clicker company and will continue to work with higher education and specialty publishers on a non-exclusive basis.

What attracts faculty and administrators to i>clicker is its ease-of-use. Instructors don’t need to master complex new software or program their questions into a separate software application. Instead, i>clicker works seamlessly with all applications, allowing instructors to prepare their questions in the software they use anyway (such as PowerPoint, Keynote or Adobe). i>clicker’s floating menu bar allows an instructor to poll from any application, at any point during a presentation (i.e. a question in PowerPoint or a Word document). i>clicker then captures a screen shot of whatever is on the computer screen at the moment polling is stopped (typically, a question) for later review of questions/responses. There is truly no other system on the market this easy to learn and use, which means you spend less time teaching instructors to use a response system and more time on your other duties.

Yes. You can use i>clicker with PowerPoint by simply writing your questions in a PowerPoint slide, just as you would any other course content. In fact, if you have an existing presentation/lecture with multiple choice, T/F, or yes/no questions, you need not re-author your presentation. The unobtrusive i>clicker menu bar floats in front of your PowerPoint slideshow, enabling you to poll at any point during your presentation (i.e. on a question slide). Each time you enable polling, i>clicker takes a picture of your screen (i.e. your question) for your later review of questions/responses. No additional work is required.

i>clicker works seamlessly with all Macintosh or PC software applications (e.g. Keynote, Adobe, Word, Flash, etc), allowing you the utmost flexibility in presentation preparation. Because the i>clicker menu bar floats in front of any application, i>clicker appears integrated with whatever application you choose. This menu bar enables you to poll at any point during your presentation (i.e. a question in a Word document) and takes a picture of your screen for your later review of questions/responses. Thus, i>clicker doesn’t have to "convert" your content into a PowerPoint slide show. Many i>clicker users prefer Adobe, Flash, Word, Keynote, and even Notepad to PowerPoint. We don’t force you to change your preferred presentation application. With i>clicker, you can even pose question from CDs, DVDs, or the internet—your options are limitless.

Yes. The i>clicker floating menu bar sits atop any application (such as Mathematica, PowerPoint, Acrobat, Word, Internet Explorer, etc). There is also a new minimize button to allow you to hide the i>clicker software at your discretion.

In Keynote Slideshow Preferences, there is an option labeled "Allow Expose, Dashboard, and others to use the screen." If you check this, and then open i>clicker, the control bar should appear on the screen.

Yes, you can! i>clicker’s “On the Fly” text box is available from within from the i>clicker floating menu bar so you don’t have to quit your presentation to insert a spontaneous question. Your screen shot and question data are captured in i>grader for later review and point assignment. Note that you don’t have to use the “On the Fly” function in order to ask a spontaneous question—it is simply designed as a convenience so you don’t have to exit your presentation application. But many instructors ask the question verbally or via the chalkboard and then begin polling without formally typing a question into any software.

The i>clicker receiver does not require a line of sight to receive responses, and can thus be placed anywhere in your classroom. For best performance and maximum range, we recommend against placing the receiver inside any type of metal enclosure, such as a metal podium; however, we have customers who do lock the receiver in metal and still the range is unaffected.

Unlike infrared systems, the i>clicker receiver is a plug-and-play solution. You only need one USB connection and your receiver is powered by your computer. The receiver works with both USB 1.1. and 2.0 standards.

One receiver has a range of 250+ feet. Only one receiver is required for a typical university classroom. We’ve been used in many of the largest lecture halls in North America (Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier, University of Toronto, Cornell University, and University of Manitoba); such adopters tested our range and signal before adopting and found our signal to be exceptionally strong.

Each i>clicker receiver can process up to 1500 votes and accepts up to 750 per second. Votes are generally received and confirmed in less than .01 seconds. i>clicker is used successfully in the largest lecture in North America 1300 students in one lecture hall at Cornell University.

No. i>clicker operates at 915 MHz, and so it will never interfere with campus Wi-Fi technologies, including Internet, cell phones, and wireless microphones.

The i>clicker base units can be set to any of 16 different sub-frequencies to prevent interference with nearby classrooms if two instructors are using i>clicker in close proximity. The default frequency is set to AA for both the base and the student remotes. You can change your sub-frequency via the i>clicker Settings/Preferences. For more information and instructions, consult the User Guide, available in our Downloads area .

>clicker can also deliver “hard wired” bases where the sub-frequency is determined and “hard coded” by your IT administrators. This solution is attractive to schools interested in installing the bases into set classrooms and coordinating sub-frequency channels institutionally. If your campus has standardized on i>clicker as a centrally supported system, this solution may already be in place. Contact your IT administrator for details. If you are interested in learning more, contact sales@iclicker.com for more information about this option

If you have chosen a non-standard frequency (e.g. BA) in Settings and Preferences, i>clicker will alert your students to this change when you begin polling. Students will be instructed to:

• Press the On/Off (power) button on their clicker until the blue Power light begins flashing (about 2 seconds).
• Press the new two-letter code (that you’ve designated in your Settings/Preferences). A green Vote Status light will indicate your students have successfully reset their remote frequency.

The entire process takes about 3 seconds. This code will remain in place for the duration of the lecture/session (as long as the remote is on). Students will need to repeat this procedure for every lecture, which is why setting one code for the entire term will be easier to administer and communicate. Directions for changing a remote’s frequency are on the back of every remote. You may also adjust or disable your frequency change alert preferences via Settings/Preferences.

The i>clicker system has a unique protocol—that is, a unique way for the receiver and remotes communicate with each other. We considered adopting a protocol similar to competing systems, where the receiver would automatically find the frequency for the students. But our preliminary research directed us to rethink the approach. Our initial reviewer board (users of competing systems) all complained about students being required to register before voting could occur—they felt they lost 2-3 classes just trying to get students registered. So, we wanted to make sure i>clicker could collect and record votes regardless of whether the students were registered or not. Another aggravation consistently voiced by the reviewer board was the daily log-in procedure in which remotes must be “acknowledged” by the receiver before the remote can vote in the session. So, like the forced registration, we wanted to eliminate the daily log-in. Why do we explain all of this? Because these are the reasons we chose a protocol that requires students to change the remote frequency. We feel that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks because today’s students are generally very tech savvy, and even those who are not can easily find the directions to change their frequency on the back of their remotes.

Changing the operating frequency prevents interference with nearby classrooms. By “interference” we mean student votes crossing over from classroom to classroom. All radio frequency response systems must offer varying frequencies in order to keep votes contained in the intended classroom. But you only need change the frequency if another i>clicker user is in a nearby room.

The hardware can be used for as many courses as needed. To use the system with multiple courses, the instructor needs to simply copy (or download) a separate copy of the i>clicker software folder for each course section he or she is teaching. For example, if teaching Psychology 101 and Psychology 210, the instructor would need to download two copies of the software folder, naming one folder Psych 101 and the other Psych 210. The instructor can either copy the software folder from the flash drive provided in the adopter’s kit or download the folder from our site. Folder duplication is free and unlimited.

The i>clicker base protocol is unique and allows for a superior system in terms of reliability and accuracy of vote collection. There is a 0% chance of dropped or lost votes with i>clicker, as compared to the typical 5-6% with competing systems. This translates into a system that students trust and results in fewer headaches for you.

i>clicker connects to and is powered by the host system/computer via a USB port/cable.

When a student has voted successfully (that is, a vote has been received and confirmed), the “Vote Status” light on the student’s remote will turn solid green. If the student’s vote was not received, the vote status light will flash red, indicating that the student will need to vote again. The most common reasons a student would see a red flashing light are:

1. Polling is not active. If the student tries to vote either before you start polling or after polling is closed, the vote status light will flash red.
2. The remote and receiver are not on the same frequency. If you change your frequency from the default, students will need to change the frequency on their remotes to match that of the receiver. If a student forgets to change the frequency, s/he will see a red flashing vote status light when trying to vote.

i>clicker receivers collect 750 votes per second, and the vote receipt is immediately confirmed on the student remotes via a green or flashing red light. Each receiver can handle up to 1500 remotes, i>clicker’s speed and reliability in sizeable lecture halls are consistently cited by institutional adopters as outstanding and differentiating features.

Students can change responses as long as the polling remains active/open. During an active polling period, i>clicker records each student’s last response. Once polling for a particular question has stopped, any response changes will not be received (and the vote status light will flash red).

Instructors can view voting results one of two ways: on the receiver’s LCD screen or the application’s results chart. The receiver’s LCD screen shows the percentage vote for each of the five options (A-E); this display allows the instructor to see the results (real time as votes are coming in) without having to show the class the chart. The results chart shows both percentage of votes and actual number of votes in a resizable/repositionable bar graph. The chart can be displayed either by clicking the “Display” button on the i>clicker floating menu bar or by pressing the “B” key on the designated instructor’s remote. Results from any session can also be reviewed at a later time.

Not at this time. The i>clicker inventors and user review board adopt the following view of numeric entry functionality: For most calculations-based questions, students will have to (or should) work out their calculations on paper and then input their answer using their clicker. For either numeric input or multiple-choice question formats, the goal remains the same: the student must understand the question and be able to master the work. There is actually less chance for input error when the student selects a single button on a multiple choice question as compared to typing a long answer. For example, if the student enters 13.24 rather than 1.324 s/he will get the answer wrong but will feel that she should have gotten it right—“it is not their fault, it is the fault of the remote.” This results in more work for the instructor (hearing the student’s complaint and possibly altering the grade) and greater anxiety/skepticism for the student. Suddenly, the benefits of using a response system are overshadowed by the drawbacks. All (or most) of this difficulty is avoided with simple, multiple choice entry.

There are no technical differences between the blue and white remotes--the color difference simply allows you to keep track of your own remotes. The white remotes are those sold to students--we do not sell the blue remotes to students. Each instructor kit includes two blue remotes (one for the instructor’s remote function and one as a possible loaner to students).

A white remote can be substituted for the blue remote without loss of functionality. However, if you require a replacement for your instructor’s remote, please contact our sales department toll-free at 1.888.938.8881 from 9-5 EST Monday-Friday or email us at sales@iclicker.com.

The blue instructor remote looks and functions exactly like the white student remote until you (the instructor) designate it as your instructor remote via the i>clicker software (in Settings/Preference). Once enabled, your 5 clicker choices (A, B, C, D, E) become control commands, thus allowing you to control polling and your presentation from anywhere in the room. It also enables you to use the remote as wireless mouse in advancing/retreating your presentation slides. Instructor remotes come with stickers that you can affix to your remote as a reminder to the control commands.

To designate any i>clicker remote as an “instructor’s remote,” you must enter the remote ID in field #5 (Designated Instructor’s Remote) of General Settings and Preferences. The remote ID is the unique 8-character serial number on the back of every i>clicker remote. If you plan to use the same instructor’s remote regularly, select “Set for Course” in the Settings/Preferences. If you plan to use the remote for just one session, then choose “Set for Session.”

New batteries supply approximately 200 hours of use. The “Low Battery” light will flash red when the user has 10 hours or less of battery power remaining. Each remote uses 3 AAA batteries, which are inexpensive to replace. New i>clicker remotes include 3 AAA Energizer batteries.

Yes, actually i>clicker offers two battery-saving features. As long as a remote is actively communicating with a receiver (i.e. a student uses it to vote), that remote will remain on for 90 minutes after the last vote. If a remote is accidentally turned on or buttons compressed but that remote is not communicating with a receiver (i.e. in a backpack or purse), the remote will automatically turn off after 5 minutes.

The battery compartment is on the back of the i>clicker remote and can be opened using a paperclip or pen cap. Open the compartment, remove and replace the batteries. No screwdriver or special device is required.

i>clicker offers a standard one-year limited warranty on each new i>clicker remote. If a clicker is defective, the process of returning it will depend upon how the student obtained/purchased it. If purchased through the campus bookstore, students may return it to the bookstore with proof of purchase. If purchased as a department or in a class set, the user will need to contact us at sales@iclicker.com to request a replacement and return the defective unit to us for analysis.

The i>clicker remote has been through rigorous durability and drop testing and repeatedly survived falls from 6 feet (1.83 meters). The chances of your students getting a defective i>clicker remote are very small as our hardware is extremely reliable. We have less than a .0007% defective remote rate. For more information, please see our warranty document .

Yes. You can use spare remotes as loaners to students who may have lost a remote or forgotten to bring one to class. The remote ID can be assigned to a student for a single session, and the same remote can be reassigned in future sessions. Each instructor’s adopter kit includes two blue remotes, and while one remote is generally used as the instructor’s remote, sometimes the other is used for loaning purposes. However, many professors opt not to offer loaner remotes because of class size and potential administrative problems. You will want to consider a set of ground rules before offering students an option to borrow remotes in order to minimize your class disruption.

Two reasons: student cost and accessibility. The LCD screens available with competing clickers are often small and hard to read. Our inventors found that when students were focusing on their remote hardware, they were less likely to focus on the content but instead focusing on the technology. Moreover, the LCD display often does not offer sufficient light for dim lecture halls or students with mild visual disabilities. With the i>clicker remote, a green/red vote status LED light is much easier to see in dim lecture halls and is more friendly to students with visual impairments. A green light means not only vote was sent but also confirmed/stored. A red flashing light means the vote was not received.

i>clicker currently offers two standard registration methods: in-class registration and online (web-based) registration, both of which are free and are easily incorporated into your course. Minimal information is required of your students and both registration options are tied to your class roster. The instructor should select which option he/she will use and notify students accordingly. We are in the process of launching a new registration tool that works with your campus course management system (e.g. Blackboard, Vista, ANGEL, and Moodle). This requires installation of a plug-in/extension by your campus course management administrator. Interested in beta testing the i>clicker integrate solution? Contact test@iclicker.com to learn more.

Yes! i>clicker offers institutions the option to host their own registration site or use their own LDAP authentication with our national database; we can provide the requisite PERL scripts and administration support. For complete instructions on these options, please visit the Downloads area of our site .

The data collected by i>clicker is minimal and meaningless when disconnected from the professor’s roster, contained only on the desktop. The i>clicker web registration process was specifically designed to consider privacy/FERPA laws.

Students who register their clicker online via our national database must enter their last name, first name, student ID, as determined by the professor, and i>clicker remote ID. This data is stored on a SQL server database owned by Macmillan, the parent company of i>clicker. We do not collect or store the students’ IP addresses, nor do we request student school affiliation, course information, or email address. As a result, the data is purposefully of no use outside of registration.

Specifically, as related to FERPA, we don’t collect non-directory student information in an interpretable and traceable way. For example, we won’t know if a Michael Lee registered on our site is from the University of California-Irvine or New York University—the information can’t be traced to an individual state or school.

However, we also recognize that many campuses prefer to host registration on campus to further protect the data. Our campus-hosted registration options are easy and we will be happy to consult with you in implementing a locally-hosted registration system.

The new i>clicker integrate, available for beta testing summer and fall 2008 with a full launch in 2009, will enable your students to register from within the campus CMS. This solution does require involvement from your CMS/IT administrator and the installation of a plug-in/extension. You can find more information on i>clicker integrate on our Course Management product page .

No, students do not need to be registered in order for i>clicker to collect votes. For students who are not yet registered, responses will be associated with the respective remote IDs. In other words, you can use i>clicker to collect data/votes from the very first day of class and eventually tie all students to their remote IDs through either roll call registration or web site registration.

i>clicker is an executable and requires no installation or hard drive space. It is a completely plug-and-play solution. Software is freely available to everyone, is open source, and is downloadable via the Downloads area of our website .

A histogram of your students’ results can be displayed either by clicking the “Display” button on the i>clicker floating menu bar, or pressing the “B” key on the designated instructor’s remote. You may also see results without having to display the histogram through the LCD screen on your receiver. The LCD data is updated every second, and includes the timer on the upper left, the total vote count on the upper right, and the distribution, by percentage, of votes across the 5 choices across the bottom.

Note that you control when and if the voting results are displayed; i>clicker does not automatically launch the voting results graph for pedagogical reasons. The flexibility of the i>clicker graph, combined with the LCD results feature, enable you to decide when and if voting results are displayed.

instructors may also view and export session results and reports after class using i>grader, the i>clicker grade book application.

Each i>clicker session is saved in a comma-delimited .CSV file, named according to the date and time the session was held. These files are then read by i>grader and presented in an easy-to-view grade book. i>grader includes options to export the data to a large variety of formats, including Blackboard Enterprise Vista. Users can choose to export a single session, multiple sessions, or the entire term’s data with the export tools.

Yes, i>clicker supports virtually every course management system, including:

• Blackboard
• Blackboard Enterprise (formerly WebCT)
• ANGEL
• Moodle
• Desire2Learn
• Sakai

We support your course management system integration needs in two ways:

• Manual integration: i>clicker polling data is specifically formatted for your designated course management system—enabling a quick and painless transfer of data from i>grader to your campus system. We offer step-by-step documentation for each system.
• New! i>clicker integrate (in beta testing for fall 2008 classes) allows for seamless, one-click integration of data between your campus course management system and i>clicker. This solution does require IT involvement and installation of a plug-in/extension. We offer i>clicker integrate for Blackboard, Blackboard Enterprise (Vista and Campus Edition), Moodle, and ANGEL.

As we hear time and again from our user community, i>clicker hardware and software are extremely reliable and software crashes are extremely rare--unheard of, in fact. If your computer (or operating system) crashes, there are additional protective measures in place. A few small files are generated each time a poll is conducted and the raw data files are updated. If a system were to crash mid-lecture, you would not lose any data that had occurred previous to the crash.

Current and new users of i>clicker can double-click the WebUpdate icon in the course folder to update both i>clicker and i>grader applications. When running WebUpdate, instructors will not lose class data nor will their data be changed. Users can run WebUpdate at any point during the course term. Both the Mac and PC software folders contain the WebUpdate application. You may also download the latest software from http://www.iclicker.com.

i>clicker offers daily, live, Webinar training sessions led by an experienced i>clicker trainer. These online sessions are free of charge and provide attendees with a detailed view of i>clicker set-up, execution, and administration. All trainers invite questions and interaction. Some customers may be eligible for in-person training. Please contact us toll-free at 1.888.938.8881 from 9-5 EST Monday-Friday or email us at sales@iclicker.com if you are interested in in-person training.

i>clicker also provides training materials at no additional charge. These materials include detailed User Guides, Quick Start guides, and many other documents, available in the Support and User Community areas of our website.

Yes, i>clicker technical support is available for instructors, administrators, and students from 9:00 a..m. - 11:00 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday at 866-209-5698 (toll free) or support@iclicker.com.

There are no fees required of the school or the students. The only cost is for the hardware--the student remotes. The only recurring costs for the hardware are for replacement batteries.

Absolutely — i>clicker and i>grader are both open source and can be adapted to meet your needs. We also offer a common API in .NET for programmers. If you would like a copy of our source code or API, please send your request to us at support@iclicker.com.

The intentionally simple design of i>clicker is inherently better suited to students with visual impairments. Most visually impaired individuals are able to navigate i>clicker’s simple six buttons using the raised battery compartment as a tactile reference point. We considered the needs of color blind student in creating the light patterns: the steady light of the received vote status LED versus the blinking light for votes that have not yet been received. We also offer Braille stickers that can be placed alongside the buttons. These are available through a special request of your i>clicker representative. Vibrating clickers (available fall 2008) will further allow blind students to receive a vibrating vote confirmation. For more detailed information about i>clicker’s 508/Accessible features, consult our VPAT guide .

No, i>clicker is supported by a large network of publishers. We have adopted a “non-exclusive” publisher approach; faculty have the freedom to choose the textbook and clickers of their choice. We are proud to be partners with: Bedford, Freeman, & Worth Publishers; Cengage; Elsevier; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins; Pearson Education (all imprints); and Wiley Publishers. In doing so, we are providing higher education instructors with the greatest flexibility when choosing a book and a response system. Our basic philosophy is to offer i>clicker remotes at the lowest possible stand-alone price so that students who purchase used books are not penalized.

The i>clicker plastic and packaging are recyclable and all electronic components are ROHS (Restriction Of Hazardous Substances)—which means no heavy metals (lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium) and Organic (polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers or Polybrominated Biphenyl) substances. All items, of course, have to be recycled properly.

i>clicker is the most durable and reliable system on the market. Remotes and receivers have been through rigorous durability and drop testing; both have repeatedly survived falls from 6 feet (1.83 meters). In two years on the market, student remotes boast a defective rate of less than .0007%. Receivers are equally reliable with a .001% defective rate. The i>clicker base firmware protocol allows for more reliable vote collection than competing systems, and there is a 0% chance of dropped or lost votes with i>clicker, as compared to the typical 5-6% with competing systems.

Yes, i>clicker protects the instructor against system failures. Each time a poll is conducted, i>clicker creates a few small files and the raw data file is updated. If a computer were to crash mid-lecture, the professor would not lose any data collected prior to the crash.

The i>clicker remotes are specifically designed to be simple and allow only A-E, Y/N, T/F, and attendance-capturing questions. The inventors found that a simple remote keeps students focused on the content of the course and not distracted the technology. Also, the traditional purpose of a response system is to collect quick and immediate feedback without taking up class-time. Although initially appealing, numeric and short answer responses eat into class-time and allow for a more user error, which means the instructor spends more time correcting student mistakes. i>clicker’s many campus-wide adoptions support this conclusion that simpler is better.