According to New York Times (Steinberg, J.2010),
If any of the 70 undergraduates in Prof. Bill White’s “Organizational Behavior” course here at Northwestern University are late for class, or not paying attention, he will know without having to scan the lecture hall.
Many of Professor White’s students said the highlight of his class was often the display of results of a survey-via-clicker, when they could see whether their classmates shared their opinions. They also said that they appreciated the anonymity, and that while the professor might know how they responded, their peers would not.
Last week, for example, he flashed a photo of the university president, Morton Schapiro, onto the screen, along with a question, “Source of power?” followed by these possible answers:
1. Coercive power (sometimes punitive).
2. Reward power.
3. Legitimate power (typically by virtue of one’s office).
4. Expert power more typically applied to someone like an electrician or a mechanic).
5. Referent power (usually tied to how the leader is viewed personally).
To Professor White’s seeming relief, a clear majority, 71 percent, chose No. 3, a sign that they considered his ultimate boss to be “legitimate.”
And then, to his delight, the students emerged from their electronic veils to register their opinions the old-fashioned way.
“They can be very reluctant to speak when they think they’re in the minority,” he said. “Once they see they’re not the only ones, they speak up more.”
Steinberg, J (November 15, 2010). More Professors Give Out Hand-Held Devices to Monitor Students and Engage Them. New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/education/16clickers.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Coercive%20Power&st=cse
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