Reflections on the Use of ARS with Small Groups

Abstract

Audience response systems are typically used with large groups of students, often in lecture theatre settings. This chapter reflects on 10 years of the author’s use of these systems, and provides examples illustrating the way that a variety of ARS, including a wired system and two infrared systems, have been used with small groups. In the examples outlined here, the data from the ARS was used to trigger discussion, rather than being used for multiple-choice “right or wrong” purposes. In the context of this chapter, groups of between 5 and 50 students are considered as “small” to differentiate from “large” lectures with possibly hundreds of students. Given the likely convergence of numeric keypad technology and text entry systems such as PDAs and mobile phones, the use of a larger, text-entry system is also outlined, to show how such systems can be utilized to explore course evaluation issues.