Classroom Response

GPS, More Display Options Now Available on Clicker

• By Michael Hart
• 11/12/14

A new version of the PingPong classroom response system is designed to allow teachers to make better use of the notes they take on the system, log in for use in a specific classroom and use more display options.

With the existing PingPong "clicker," teachers can ask students questions that can then be answered on their own mobile devices (with a mobile app) in several ways, including multiple choice, true/false or with short selected answers. The accumulated responses can then be displayed in graph form on a screen at the front of the classroom.

Updates to the apps include:

• A firmer integration with Evernote that will allow teachers to share, highlight and review with students the notes that they make. They can also save classroom activities on Evernote for use or reference at a later time.
• A GPS that allows teachers and students to use the app in multiple classrooms without having to use a room code to log in each time they move from location to location.
• A wider variety of display options beyond the previous circle graphs, including bar graphs and thumbnails.
• A Quick Menu that will allow users to make adjustments to how they display content on the screen.

Made by Waterbear Soft, the company's founder, Young-ji Ma, said the upgrades were in response to feedback from teachers who have used PingPong.

"We put our heads together to come up with ways to help students become more creative, inquisitive and better at solving problems," Ma said.

PingPong already offered a timer function, the ability for the teacher to randomly select students to present their content on a screen at the front of the room, and a feature to pick winners of contests.

The PingPong app is available at no cost in the iTunes and Play stores.