Do I Need a PointSolutions Account and License?

All UTK faculty and instructors using PointSolutions must create a PointSolutions Instructor account. When registering your account as an instructor, you receive a subscription to PointSolutions. There is no cost for you to use PointSolutions in your courses.

The account allows instructors to access the PointSolutions Instructor site and download the PointSolutions software to engage their students via classroom polling with physical clicker devices or mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops).

Instructors must use the NetID@tennessee.edu email format to create their account and the UT NetID & Password for login. The account allows faculty to manage which courses they will use PointSolutions in via the instructor account page.

How to Set Up Your Instructor Account

See this Knowledge Base article on creating a PointSolutions account for instructors.

How to Get Clicker Software

PointSolutions software is needed to use clickers (whether mobile or physical). Login to your PointSolutions account at the PointSolutions website. From the upper right icon menu, select Downloads, then select the correct operating system under PointSolutions. For PointSolutions Desktop, select the desktop version which matches your device’s operating system. For TurningPoint Web App, select the web version.

Canvas and PointSolutions Integrations

• Clickers: Adding PointSolutions to your Course Navigation (for Instructors)
• Connecting your Canvas account to PointSolutions (opens Knowledge Base article on creating an instructor account, see step 5)
• Connecting your published Canvas course to PointSolutions

Note: As of August 2022, it appears students no longer need to use a Canvas module to register their account. See the OIT Knowledge Base for PointSolutions student account creation instructions.

How to Enable Mobile Responses

• Enable mobile response instructions

Note: In a completely mobile device class, no additional hardware is needed. In a hybrid (mobile + physical clicker) environment, you will need to enable mobile responses and use the Turning USB receiver to receive responses from physical clickers. The Turning USB receiver can be requested from the OIT HelpDesk and is provided to instructors at no cost.  

Note: Echo360 recommends that students do not use a VPN when submitting attendance or when responding to polling questions due to latency or GPS location issues.

Where to Get Clicker Training

The options for training are:

• Clicker Self-Service Training Resource
  Interested in using clickers in your class but don’t know how to get started? Enroll in this self-paced resource on Canvas Catalog. The course has detailed step-by-step instructions and videos that will walk you through:
  • Creating a PointSolutions Account
  • Connecting your Canvas course to PointSolutions
  • Creating questions
  • Uploading grades
  • and much more
• 1-on-1 consultations
  After you have taken the self-paced online training, let us know if you still have any questions by contacting the OIT HelpDesk at 865-974-9900 or our online service portal.

What Are Your Clicker Options?

The university has a license for PointSolutions through Echo360. Every student, staff, and faculty person on campus can use PointSolutions.

Choosing your delivery method

Use one of these three methods to deliver questions to your students. All methods allow you to connect to Canvas to import grades. Use the chart below to compare methods and find the best option for your lessons.