The effects of response cards on students' math quiz performance.

Abstract

Active student engagement during teacher-led instruction is critical to successful learning in contemporary schools. Yet, considerable evidence suggests that many students, particularly those with significant learning and behavioral challenges do not participate actively in class and as a result fall further and further behind their normally developing peers. The present study examined the effects of two response methods, hand-raising versus response cards, on pupils' daily math quiz scores. Using an alternating treatments design, the investigator found that response cards immediately and consistently improved student math quiz scores(hand-raising M = 60% versus response cards M = 84%). In fact, all target students as a group always did better on math quizzes when response cards were used. Additional analysis for the two most and one least responsive students are provided. These findings are highly consistent with previous research on the positive effects of response cards. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.