Editorial | Keeping class affordable

Students are one click away from a more interactive class experience.

More and more Penn professors are using "clickers," which are small remote-control devices that allow professors to collect and display data from students.

We support professors in their attempts to engage students. But as students face rising textbook costs every year, the University can't expect students to also foot the bill for technological advances in the classroom.

At $40 a pop, these devices aren't cheap. And students already pay hundreds in supplementary costs for each class they take.

It's true that with clicker technology, professors have new ways to encourage participation, and students can finally get involved in large lectures. The devices also offer a way to effectively monitor attendance and conduct quizzes.

But the University must remain cognizant of the extra fees that students face. Wharton officials have already taken that step by loaning out a limited number of clickers, and not requiring students to purchase their own.

And if administrators in other schools feel that clickers can play a beneficial role in the classroom, they need to make the necessary monetary investment to make these devices available for free.

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