Introduction
The University of Bath has chosen to use an Audience Response System (ARS) by TurningPoint, for which a pilot is being carried out during the 2008/2009 academic year. TurningPoint is an easy-to-use and interactive ARS which can be used to increase levels of students’ engagement and motivation, in a face-to-face learning and teaching environment.
An ARS consists of a set of handheld gadgets ["clickers"] which allow students to participate in lectures, seminars and tutorials by submitting responses to questions and viewing the responses as a graph.
The TurningPoint software works within Microsoft PowerPoint [both 2003 and 2007 versions], giving lecture slides greater impact. More than just a simple voting system, TurningPoint allows colleagues to collect and analyse feedback and share the results quickly and easily.
There are a number of benefits to using an ARS in support of face-to-face teaching.
- It is an easy-to-adopt technology that enhances the learning experience
- It enables students can validate their learning, helping them to identify areas that require further attention
- It can serve as a catalyst for debate and discussion
- It can be used as a starter, part of a lecture or seminar, or as a plenary
- It can be used as a means of formative assessment, providing immediate feedback for both lecturers and students
- It can facilitate discussion, cooperation and interaction
- Students say that using the ARS is fun!
References
List adapted from 7 Things You Should Know About Clickers (2005) by EDUCAUSE CONNECT.
