ABSTRACT
Student response systems such as clickers can be used to address various challenges of teaching religious studies. These multiple-choice remotes or mobile apps encourage students to take stances on complex religious issues and to acknowledge the diverse perspectives on religion present within a classroom. This chapter focuses on how discussions can be prompted and enhanced using clicker remotes within religious studies classrooms at public colleges and universities. Student response systems fit the general preferences of Millennial students for instantaneous feedback, personalization and opportunities to share opinions using technology. Clickers offer a means of expression for those uncomfortable raising their hands and provide variation to traditional lecture formats. The student-generated data can be applied to lectures to make material about religion more relevant to student experiences. Questions asked prior to a topic pique students’ interest and alert them to critical issues, while those asked after a lesson allow them to further process the material. For the teaching of religious studies, clickers provide an opportunity to integrate students’ assumptions and stances about religion without putting individuals on the spot for their beliefs. At state-funded institutions, where professors might be cautious about students sharing personal beliefs in the classroom, this controlled form of data is especially useful. Clickers transform deeply personal viewpoints into indirect data, providing distance and a level of anonymity that can aid critical analysis.
