A few weeks ago, I got talking to a colleague at another university who, like me, supports the use of Audience Response Systems (ARS) at their institution. As the conversation developed, we both agreed that we often feel like sales people, going out to academics and try to encourage them to consider using the ARS to support their teaching. But what are our key phrases or buzzwords?
When talking to and training colleagues on how to use the ARS, I often begin by stressing its potential for use as a mechanism for giving effective and immediate feedback to students. Additionally, I point to the system as an anonymous and formative feedback mechanism as well as a means of promoting deep learning by students within a face to face context. Teaching related to such elements has already been completed and presented at conferences by fellow colleagues at the University of Bath as referenced in an earlier blog post.
On a (non work related!) visit to The Great Wall of China a few weeks ago, I thought about this sales person analogy and put my thinking cap on. With the new academic year soon to be upon us, I consider how could I do something a bit different to promote the ARS, using it as a hook to get colleagues engaged in the system for either the first time or once again.
So, for those new to the technology or existing users who’d like to find out more on why you might use an ARS to support your learning and teaching related activities, do take a look at the video below.
The ARS at the University of Bath now totals 400 clickers, which are available in bags of 40 or 80 handsets, accompanied by 1 USB RF receiver per bag. If you’d like further information about the ARS, or would like to use it to support your learning and teaching related activities, please contact me, Nitin Parmar, Classroom Technologies Lead, at: e-learning@bath.ac.uk.
Acknowledgements – Many thanks to Michelle O’Donnell from my travel group for directing the video, and to Carly Seymour for the “Making of…” photo.
