UMass Boston

What is Classroom Polling?

Classroom polling can increase student engagement by allowing students to participate in polls and answer questions about the course material during class. It can be used to facilitate more meaningful and interactive learning experiences, by allowing instructors to;

• Gauge prior student knowledge, before covering new material.
• Provide student self assessment opportunities.
• Encourage student discussion: Using iClicker for Group Work.

What is iClicker Cloud?

iClicker Cloud is an audience response system that is used to provide instant feedback to students. Instructors pose meaningful questions to students in class and students respond to questions with mobile devices or physical remotes. iClicker Cloud supports a number of different Polling Question Types. Polling scores can easily be integrated into the Blackboard grade center to allow students credit for class participation and/or performance.

Sign up for iClicker Cloud training

iClicker Cloud Requirements:

Instructors need:

• A desktop computer with iClicker Cloud software. The software can be downloaded at iclicker.com. 
• An instructor iClicker account and iClicker course.
• A classroom with wifi access (for mobile polling).
• An iClicker base receiver, connected to the presenter computer (if iClicker remotes are used). Note that iClicker bases/receivers are installed in all iClicker Ready (Polling Enabled) Classrooms. Contact Learning Design Services to borrow an iClicker base for unlisted classrooms.

Students need:

• iClicker remotes and/or phones/mobile devices to participate in polling sessions.
• Student iClicker accounts at iclicker.com. A free iClicker Cloud app for Android or iOS mobile devices is available.
• An iClicker subscription purchased at iClicker.com.*

*Note that students using iClicker remotes must also create iClicker accounts but do not need to purchase iClicker subscriptions. Students using iClicker remotes must add their Clicker remote IDs to their account profiles.

iClicker Cloud Setup for Instructors

• Step 1: Visit the Checklist: Getting Started with iClicker Cloud page to get started. Be sure to use the following instructions to "add grades from iClicker Cloud to your main gradebook" (Blackboard) from "Step 4" of the Checklist: iClicker Roster Grade Sync
• Step 2: Provide Student Onboarding Resources to your students. This resource contains a customizable syllabus template and first day of class slides.

iClicker Cloud Setup for Students

All students need to create iClicker accounts, and connect them to their Blackboard accounts to use the attendance and polling features. The following resource can be provided to your students to facilitate this process:

• Student Guide: Enhanced Grade Sync Integration with Blackboard

Some solutions to common student issues:

• Students using physical iClicker remotes receive a "No Base" error during a polling session
• Common issues and troubleshooting

Using the iClicker Attendance Only Feature in the Classroom

iClicker's attendance feature uses geolocation technology to detect whether your students are in class. iClicker attendance is free when instructors set up attendance-only iClicker classes.

• iClicker Attendance Feature Overview and Setup Guide
• See the iClicker Attendance Feature in Action
• Provide the iClicker Geolocation Tips Student Handout to your students. 

Using iClicker Cloud for Remote Instruction

• View the Quickstart Guide: How to use Clicker for Remote Instruction. Be sure to use the following instructions to "add grades from iClicker Cloud to your main gradebook" (Blackboard) from "Step 4" of the Checklist: iClicker Roster Grade Sync.
• View Creating Assignments in iClicker Cloud. The iClicker assignments feature allows you to create a low stakes quiz from a PowerPoint presentation. The assignments activity type is a flexible, low stakes student engagement solution that can be used for asynchronous learning. Assignments are also great for pre-class, post-class, breakout, or lab activities in synchronous classes.

Getting Help 

• Faculty with questions about classroom polling can contact us at learningdesign@umb.edu.
• Students that need help with iClicker can contact iClicker Support.
• Faculty that need technical assistance in the classroom can contact the AV Office.