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Teaching Tools

Personal Response Systems (Clickers)



Clicker Online Resource

Interested in using polling/clickers in your class but don’t know how to get started?
Enroll in our Clicker Resource self-paced training course on Canvas Catalog.

PointSolutions is the campus-supported personal response system for classroom polling. PointSolutions is a polling option that provides secure management of courses, rosters, and assessment data while integrating with Canvas. Polling can be done from your computer (desktop or laptop, Mac OS, or Windows) with a physical device (clicker) and mobile devices via native apps (iOS and Android) or web-browsers.

All students have a mobile clicker license provided through the Technology Fee. This enables students to use their mobile device to respond to questions at no additional cost. Faculty may require a physical clicker for their courses which can be purchased by students at The VolShop. Refer to your course syllabus for specific class requirements.

To use the PointSolutions system in a class, the instructor will choose between three options:

  1. Mobile device only – This environment offers the most flexibility for the instructor and student. There is no additional hardware required for the instructor, only a software install. There is no additional cost for student use.
  2. Mixed mobile and physical clickers – This environment allows the students to use what they have available, either a mobile device or physical clicker. This option requires the instructor to have a USB receiver plugged into their computer to receive the physical clicker responses. There is no additional cost for the student to use their mobile device, but the physical clickers must be purchased.
  3. Physical Clicker only – This environment offers the most control for the instructor but requires the instructor to have a USB receiver plugged into their computer to receive responses. The students will need to purchase a physical clicker to participate.

Administration of PointSolutions Accounts

At the end of every academic year or as needed, we will review our PointSolutions accounts and delete those accounts that are no longer needed. UTK will retain PointSolutions accounts for two years after an individual’s departure from the university.

For example, two years after an employee leaves the university or when students graduate, their account will be deleted within UTK’s instance of PointSolutions and no longer be available to the individual.