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Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards
written by
Edward Price, Charles J. De Leone, and Nathaniel Lasry
Physics educators and researchers have recently begun to distinguish between pedagogical approaches and the educational technologies that are used to implement them. For instance, peer instruction has been shown to be equally effective, in terms of student learning outcomes, when implemented with clickers or flashcards. Therefore, technological tools (clickers and flashcards) can be viewed as means to mediate pedagogical techniques (peer instruction or traditional instruction). In this paper, we use activity theory to examine peer instruction, with particular attention to the role of tools. This perspective helps clarify clickers' and flashcards' differences, similarities, impacts in the classroom, and utility to education researchers. Our analysis can suggest improvements and new uses. Finally, we propose activity theory as a useful approach in understanding and improving the use of technology in the physics classroom.
Physics Education Research Conference 2010
Part of the PER Conference series
Portland, Oregon: July 21-22, 2010
Volume 1289, Pages 265-268
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/quantum/items/detail.cfm?ID=10469">Price, E, C. De Leone, and N. Lasry. "Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, July 21-22, 2010.</a>
E. Price, C. De Leone, and N. Lasry, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929).
E. Price, C. De Leone, and N. Lasry, Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929>.
Price, E., De Leone, C., & Lasry, N. (2010, July 21-22). Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon. Retrieved July 11, 2026, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929
Price, E, C. De Leone, and N. Lasry. "Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, July 21-22, 2010. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929 (accessed 11 July 2026).
Price, Edward, Charles De Leone, and Nathaniel Lasry. "Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards." Physics Education Research Conference 2010. Portland, Oregon: 2010. 265-268 Vol. 1289 of PER Conference. 11 July 2026 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929>.
%0 Conference Proceedings %A Price, Edward %A De Leone, Charles %A Lasry, Nathaniel %D July 21-22 2010 %T Comparing Educational Tools Using Activity Theory: Clickers and Flashcards %B Physics Education Research Conference 2010 %C Portland, Oregon %V 1289 %P 265-268 %S PER Conference %8 July 21-22 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=10469&DocID=1929
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