JALTCALL 2010 Conference,
Kyoto Sangyo University in Kyoto, Japan. May 29-30, 2010
audience response system, ARS, student response system, iPod Touch, iPhone, mobile learning
The presenter created a set of feedback and quiz instruments that students can access in class with portable media devices such as iPod Touch and iPhones. These surveys and quizzes not only help the teacher evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson, but also help students maintain an active attention and interest during the lesson. The teacher can create surveys for students to take in class. The surveys can consist of 1 to 9 questions, with up to 9 options per question. A pie chart of the results can be shown to the class through the teacher's computer. The teacher can also create multiple-choice quizzes for students. These quizzes contain up to 10 questions, with up to 5 choices per question. The students receive instant feedback on their answers, and they have the option of trying the question again (although they lose some points for multiple attempts). The teacher has instant access to records of each student's participation, with the option of storing the students' quiz results in an online grade book. The presenter will demonstrate the surveys and quizzes, and report on the first year of using this system in a university program (five teachers, 230 students across eight classes). The source code will be freely available so that participants can use these tools with their own students.
Date and time: Saturday, May 29, 10:40 AM - 11:20 AM
Kevin Ryan is trying out this system with some of his students. His presentation is a few hours after mine (16:50 to 17:30). This is his abstract, and I'll be joining him for part of it:
What to do when each first-year student in the English department gets an iPod Touch? We look at ways to use the Touch for language learning both in class and outside class, in school and outside, with and without a wireless Internet connection. We also look at ways to get an aging faculty up to speed, and to adapt quaint teaching methods to the new technology. This is a case study in short-term training as a result of lack of planning. We focus on resources for using mobile technology in wireless-ready classrooms to extend study beyond school. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the iPod Touch as opposed to other hardware. We look at usage patterns for the Touch and laptops (also required of every student) and how they affect one another. This is an ongoing situation which began with training in February, introduction in April and assessment shortly before this conference. Most of these ideas will apply to the new iPad.
Link: See screenshots with descriptions of this student response system.