AUDIENCE RESPONSE

Audience response:

Audience response is a type of interaction associated with the use of audience response systems, to create interactivity between a presenter and his/her audience. Systems for co-located audiences combine wireless hardware with presentation software, and systems for remote audiences may use telephones or web polls for audiences watching through television or the Internet. In educational settings, such systems are often called "student response systems" or "personal response systems". The hand-held remote control that students use to convey their responses to questions is often called a "clicker".


The audience response process for co-located audiences:

The presenter uses a computer and a video projector to project a presentation for the audience to see. In the most common use of such audience response systems, presentation slides built with the audience response software display questions with several possible answers, more commonly referred to as multiple choice questions. The audience participates by selecting the answer they believe to be correct and pushing the corresponding key on their individual wireless keypad. Their answer is then sent to a base station - or receiver - that is also attached to the presenter's computer. The audience response software collects the results, and the aggregate data is graphically displayed within the presentation for all to see. Some clickers also have additional keys, allowing the presenter to ask True/False questions or even questions calling for particular numerical answers.

Audience response systems:

An audience response system (ARS), or personal response system (PRS), allows large groups of people to vote on a topic or answer a question. Each person has a device with which selections can be made. Each remote communications with a computer via receivers located around the room or via a single receiver connected to the presenter's computer using a USB connector. After a set time - or after all participants have answered - the system ends the polling for that particular question and tabulates the results. Typically, the results are instantly made available to the participants via a bar graph displayed on the projector.

In situations where tracking is required, the serial number of each remote control or the students identity number is entered beforehand in the control computer's database. In this way the answer of each individual can later identified.

In addition to the presenter's computer and projector, the typical audience response system has the following components:

  • base station (receiver)
  •  wireless keypads (one for each participant)
  • audience response system software