One of the many issues facing effective learning is assessing student understanding in a timely fashion.

Instead of waiting for a quiz or test, Jeffery Frank is pioneering an initiative towards more prompt and efficient assessment through the use of ‘plicker’ cards. Each student gets a card for responding to multiple choice questions on the SMARTboard. Students present their cards in different positions to signify a, b, c or d as their answer. Frank scans the answers with his phone, which then appear up on the board. The energy and speed of the responses brings the learning to the next level. It’s also a great way to review homework and get the class focused at the beginning of each lesson. Not only are the students engaged in active participation, their teacher gets an immediate sense of how they’re each progressing on a daily basis.