Introduction

While it is imperative that future teachers of mathematics are able to have a profound understanding of mathematical ideas [53], so they are able to communicate effectively in a K–12 classroom, it is equally important that all college students communicate mathematics in an articulate and proficient manner. Future business leaders or lab technicians may use spreadsheets to do much of the heavy lifting in regards to mathematical computation in the business world, yet must still be able to convey their mathematical understanding of those numeric outputs to others on their team or the clients that employ their services. A common theme among recent documents published by the Mathematical Association of America [54], the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [62], and the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges [1], is to provide classroom situations where students have thought-provoking and interesting conversations about mathematical topics and concepts. We have found that clickers allow us to break down some of the invisible classroom walls set up by students' discomfort communicating in front of their peers. In place of these walls, we have found students who are responsive and willing to share their thoughts and feelings about their own personal understanding of a mathematical concept. We attribute this to the fact that each student has taken a personal ownership of an answer, because of the inherent forced participation on the part of the clicker.