How to interact with a huge audience in a lively way? Audience response systems are used a lot nowadays, either through handheld transmitters (clickers) or through mobile phones. Through an input device participants express their views in complete anonymity, and the cumulative view of the group appears on a public screen. You can either introduce statements, multiple-choice questions, opinions or open text inputs from your participants. The collective feedback is immediately available to everyone and can be the start of a lively discussion.
If these systems support active learning approaches and improve learning outcomes further research still needs to determine.
According to EDUCAUSE two important features we might take into consideration:
Clickers or mobile phones:
– provide a mechanism for participants to participate anonymously.
– integrate a “game approach” that may engage participants more than in a traditional classroom discussion.
Also for evaluation of learning events or courses they might be useful. The immediate results are visible on screen and can be the input of a more in-depth discussion that might generate more qualitative input for your evaluation.
Try it out with a small group for free: Live audience polling : http://www.polleverywhere.com
L&T blog: About learning, training and technology at ITC-ILO 
4 Comments
Can I know more about this? who has tried it out? I have a 100 people conference at the EU Parliament end of November and would like to make it less boring than the usual big gathering…
thank you!
Hi Benedetta,
It was successfully integrated in the LED-conference at the Centre. DELTA is preparing right now some guidelines in how to integrate this type of interaction in bigger learning events and conferences. It will be part of the larger toolkit on learning methodology and technology. I think it would be an excellent idea in the scope of your project at EU.
Regards,
Tom,
Hello, I work for PowerVote audience response system which provides the same type of product. Fully integrated in Microsoft PowerPoint and as easy to use as a wireless mouse, Its technology is becoming accessible to anybody who wants to make a PowerPoint presentation interactive
The basic effect of using an audience response system is “interactivity power” which keeps participants interested.
But this is only the beginning…
I see three way to go further:
Personnalised results
Detailed or synthetic result of each participant is printed immediatly after the vote session (using MS Excel). Is case of exam or certification, these leaflets become directly the elements of the exam. The MS Excel file can be all customised (logos, calculations, automatic appreciations ( “Good level, keep-on learning” – “Your work should be improved” – etc.).
Modulation of the presentation
Why insist on some well known subjects, and not spend time enough on really unknown items ?
Ask some questions, then check on a result slide how is their success rates. On the same slide you have created buttons to go to 2 or 3 differents version of the course (simple, full, medium). Each topic or sujet will be modulated just as the participants level needs it.
Prepare and follow
Before the meeting, use Internet to make a test and/or an opinion poll on the course subjects. Use these results to improve the meeting :
speak of the real important items, enforce the participants motivation before the meeting. After the metting, keep the contact with the participants with some questions : what is memorised, what is fogotten, what are the remaining matters ?
more information : http://www.powervote.com
I would like to know how to set up a simple audience response system using the handphones of the participants. My intention is to have the details analysed and displayed in my powerpoint. I do not wish to subscribe to a service by a vendor. I am based in singapore
john
One Trackback
[…] like to explore more potential use of mobile learning within ITC-ILO. In the last LED-conference mobile phones were used to enhance public interaction with the expert panel of speakers, but can you think of […]