Enhancing student engagement in agricultural mathematics with clicker technology

Many undergraduate students at the University of Queensland Gatton Campus join their studies without having studied Grade 12 Mathematics at high school. These students have difficulty in comprehending Biometrics, Chemistry and other applied courses in agriculture that require high knowledge of mathematical concepts. To overcome this problem and help improve mathematical skills of agricultural graduates, students without sound achievement or higher in Maths B (Senior Maths) are now required to undertake the Agricultural Mathematics course as part of their degree requirements. A number of innovative teaching and learning strategies were incorporated in the past two years to address not only the social isolation common to the experience of many first-year students but also the difficulties posed by the inadequate mathematical background and consequent mathematical phobias that many students bring to their agricultural studies. One of the key innovations introduced in the delivery of Agricultural Mathematics course was the adoption of clicker technology to motivate and engage students in the classroom. This presentation will describe the methods used in implementing clicker technology in the lectures. Student feedback on the benefits of clickers for interactive teaching and learning will also be presented