Using TurningPoint in the Business Classroom: Immediacy of Feedback of Learning

Melody L. Wollan, PhD, PHR and Lisa Dallas

Overview of Presentation

• Demonstration of using TurningPoint in a classroom setting

• How I’ve been using TurningPoint

• The ease of setting it up

• Benefits and feedback from students in using the technology

• Drawbacks

IBAM stands for?

13%

0%

63%

25%

1. Institute of Bad Attitudes in Management

2. Institute of Bizarre Aliens in Montana

3. Institute of Behavioral and Applied Management

4. Institute of Bargain Associated Members

I hope that Friday’s luncheon serves:

14%

14%

29%

43% 1. Chicken

2. Salmon

3. Buffett of choices

4. BBQ

The most influential business leader today is?

1. Bill Gates

2. Jack Welch

3. A.J. Lafley

4. The guys who started Google

My use of TurningPoint

• MGT 3450 – Principles of HRM, 28-45 students– Multiple sectioned class, multiple semesters

• MGT 4550 – Current Issues in HRM, 35 students• BUS 3010 – Principles of Mgmt, 150 students • Limited use: 3 review sessions, basic functions• Run approximately 1.5 minutes per slide, 40-55

slides during a 75 min class, 30 slides for 50 minute class

• I preview about 20% of exam questions built into these reviews or like questions so they know they’ll see some of them on the exam (motivation to participate)

Using lie-detectors during the selection process would

be considered lawful in most situations.

50%50%1. True

2. False

1 2 3 4 5

200of5

Outside salespeople, along with executives and administrators are exempt from overtime provisions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

50% 50%1

2

1. True

2. False

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

8

The Social Security insurance program is funded by:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

1025%

25%

25%

25%

1. employer contributions.

2. employee contributions.

3. employee contributions with matching employer contributions.

4. employee contributions and general tax funds.

Benefits from my perspective

• Given before an exam is copied, I can identify “easy” and “hard” questions, make edits if desired

• I have a chance to re-teach or at least clarify questions and their correct responses

• Reinforces a need to study, is very obvious to some students if they are falling behind their peers

• Competitive – students challenge each other• Fun, engaging for all of us• Lots of features I’m not using yet• Textbook publishers are beginning to package

TurningPoint, pre-made lecture notes, and provide students with response cards as part of textbook rental

Student Feedback (n=62)

Ten-item scale (α = .900); 2 factors emergedCorrelation between two factors R = .687, p ≤ .000Mean of overall scale = 5.88 (3.50-7.00; std .829)

Cognitive ElementsUsing TP/RC was informative (4-7) 5.86

Instant feedback helped me to better understand topics (3-7) 5.73

Including TP/RC into class would be beneficial to learning (2-7) 6.03

Added value to the classroom experience (2-7) 5.73

α = .834; Mean 5.84 (3.50-7.00; std .887)

Student Feedback (n=62)

Affective ElementsTP/RC made the class more enjoyable (4-7) 6.21

TP/RC should be used whenever possible to expand the concepts being studied (3-7) 5.60

TP/RC were distracting* (1-7) 2.11

TP/RC were easy to use (2-7) 5.83

Use of TP/RC would be welcomed in the classroom (3-7) 6.08

Use of TP/RC helped me confirm what I understand about the topics being studied (3-7) 5.81

α = .834; Mean 5.84 (3.50-7.00; std .887)

*Reverse-coded prior to reliability and scale computations

Drawbacks

• Extra work for faculty member– First 50 slide PP took about 12 hours to set up– Subsequent development, 2-4 hours– Can’t cut and paste the answers as a group, can cut and

paste the questions, though new developments in software allow you to “Parse” and merge in word documents

– Set-up cost of time in the classroom to hand out clickers/get them back

• Cost: About $2500 to set up first year (50 clickers, receiver, case, maintenance/support). Future years $500 maintenance/support fee if desired.

• Technology isn’t perfect!

I am interested in using this in my classroom.

20% 20% 20%20%20%

10

1. Strongly Agree

2. Agree

3. Disagree

4. Strongly Disagree

5. Don’t know