The iClicker program subscription will be free for students and instructors beginning June 20, the Bruin Learn Center of Excellence announced March 28.

iClickers are an interactive polling tool utilized in many UCLA classrooms. UCLA spokesperson Ricardo Vazquez said in a written statement that more than 10,000 students utilized the tool last year, and an average of 160 courses use the tool for instruction. iClicker usage is expected to increase when the free version of the tool is made available, he added.

The mobile app version currently costs between $15.99 and $49.99, depending on the length of the subscription, while one version of the physical remote costs $27.99.

Instructors encouraged the university to provide an equitable solution to the lack of free iClicker tools on campus, Vazquez said in the written statement. He added that the Bruin Learn Center of Excellence funded the program, costing the university less than $2 per student.

Some students have had issues purchasing the iClicker program in the past. UCLA’s Financial Support Commission created the iClicker loan program in 2015 with funding from the Undergraduate Students Association Council to provide physical iClickers for students to rent out if they could not afford the $50 purchase.

The digital iClicker program subscription will be free for all students by creating a student account, Vazquez said. He added that while some professors may still require a physical remote, the university is working on creating a program to reduce these prices as well.

Lexi Tempera, a third-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, said she believes the technology benefits both students and instructors because of the instructor’s ability to gauge student understanding of content and make real-time adjustments to their course for clarity. However, she added that some students have previously had financial difficulties attaining the iClicker, which is a requirement for particular classes.

“I’ve seen a lot of my peers struggle with trying to figure out how to pay for the clicker, if they’re going to pay for a physical clicker, or if they’re going to pay for the app,” Tempera said. “That’s creating a lot of unnecessary stress.”

Debra Pires, an academic administrator of life sciences, said she has been using iClicker polling technology exclusively since 2009. Instructors employ iClickers as a means of further engaging students during long lectures, she said, adding that students can use them to answer in-class questions, interact with their peers and take on further opportunities to engage with foundational material.

Pires said that she and other faculty in her department use the program for students to build upon learned material and apply the knowledge to new concepts, allowing students to explore the coursework collaboratively.

Vazquez said in the written statement that research has shown the benefits polling tools such as the iClicker have on student engagement and learning, giving students the opportunity to interact with the instructor directly and highlighting any glaring difficulties with course material.

Pires said she was excited about the prospect of free iClickers because of the benefits tied to interactive instruction in classrooms.

“I’m so happy that the university has taken on the charge in recognizing that more active instruction actually helps students do better and learn more and have more long-term retention of course content,” Pires said.

She added that she hopes more classrooms adopt the technology following the removal of financial barriers.

Actions such as the price reduction show a positive trend of the university working to improve student accommodations, Tempera said.

“It proves and shows to me that UCLA is working to make it a more equitable place for all students,” she said.