Audience Response Systems
One major limitation to the tradition lecture-style course is the inherent lack of interaction that often arises when students merely sit and attempt to soak in what the instructor is presenting. Time and again research has shown that interaction improves learning. Put another way, when students are more engaged in the learning process, they learn more. To combat the lack of interactivity many instructors make an attempt to get the audience involved by providing leading questions or problem solving activities used to preface a discussion. These activities actually serve another purpose important to instruction, gaining attention. One of Gagne’s nine events of instruction, gaining students’ attention is critical to helping them focus on the material being presented. However, these attempts often fail because the audience simply concurs with the first answer given. Reasons suggested for the groupthink-like phenomena are perhaps a fear of embarrassment or negative attention by the rest of the class.
Enter technology. Evidence suggests the visual and interactive features of many technology resources seem to help focus students’ attention and encourage them to spend more time on learning tasks. One such technology is known as an audience response system or “clicker.” These systems incorporate a remote control like keypad and receiver that connects to a personal computer. The instructor presents an objective style question (often multiple choice or true/false) and audience members respond using their keypad. The responses are compiled on the computer and the results can be displayed for the instructor and recorded within the software. Since each student’s response is anonymous (to their classmates) it promotes an environment of steady interaction and 100% participation. Many instructors who have tried these clickers have been pleased with the increased level of interactivity and engagement the devices can bring to a classroom learning environment, especially in traditionally “one-way” lectures.
Uses of such systems could include attention-garnering questions used to preface a lecture, quiz or survey questions that enable the instructor to quickly ascertain student comprehension of a particular subject, or even a Jeopardy-like game (research also shows competition increases interactivity in the classroom) with small groups. With this data the instructor could spend more time on problem areas or move to another topic – perhaps one chosen by the students in an instant poll. Opinion surveys could also help generate deeper discussions and unveil divisive issues to explore during future class time.
Related Links :
7 Things You Should Know About Clickers (PDF)
Twelve tips for using a
computerised interactive audience response system (PDF)
No
Wrong Answer: Click It (From Wired News )
Classroom
Clickers Make the Grade (From Wired News )
Experiences of using an interactive audience response system in lectures
Use
of an Audience Response System to Augment Interactive Learning (PDF)
IR Clickers and ConcepTests: Engaging Students in the Classroom
CRS at Purdue:
Promoting Campus-wide Student Involvenent (From Campus
Technology Magazine)
Classroom Clickers
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