Interaction in Lectures with Mobile Devices

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• Background to project• Description of system• An example of how used in teaching• Survey Evidence• Conclusion and recommendations

Paul MiddleditchLecturer in Macroeconomics

Will MoindroteLearning Technologist

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Background – the Idea

From this..

To this..

To enhance the learning experience for students in large cohort lectures using interaction technologies. Classroom Response Systems are one useful tool but what can be done to streamline their use with large cohorts?

Problem: Basic idea to use the students’ own mobile devices instead of university owned handsets to alleviate the logistical problems associated with large cohorts

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One system we looked at

TurningPoint ResponseWare

• Uses TurningPoint - easy to use WYSIWYG through PowerPoint, fast to get up and running

• Allows student to respond via the web, saves on the logistics

• Inclusive - works in unison with TurningPoint clickers

• Existing user group

An example question

ECON10042 – 1st Year UG Macroeconomic Principles

Economics - University of Manchester

233 ResponseWare users and 30 handset (clicker) users, so….

…what did the students think?

Introducing voting technology

“Brilliant idea. We often turn to our phones when we lose concentration/interest or when the lecture becomes incomprehensible so I think including our devices will keep us alert and participating, as well as checking if our understanding is correct.”

“I'm not sure whether it would have made a difference whether I used my own device or a voting handset, the outcome of casting a vote was still the same, the feedback received was also the same. However, I think that if used frequently it would be easier if one used their own device.”

Describe how you feel about using a voting system in class.

Indifferent8%

Happy 90%

How strongly (1-10) do you believe that the system will enhance your satisfaction of the programme?

4 to 729%

8 to 1069%

Survey Evidence 162/233 Responses

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Do you think it was useful to use your own device in the

sessions?

Yes76%

Unsure15%

No9%

What type of device did you use to participate?

Laptop 35%

Smart Phone39%

Other11%

Clickers15%

(In total: 233 ResponseWare and 30 handset users)

Survey Evidence 2

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ConclusionWe have shown that:

• the student experience can be enhanced with ‘over web’ voting technology in large cohort teaching.

• participants can utilise their `own’ mobile devices in class to help achieve this.

• students view the use of such systems as a satisfaction enhancer and valuable learning aid.

Next Steps:

• Presenting our work to management, promoting affordances and efficiencies.

• Seek longer term funding, better WiFi provision and continue to innovate in large cohort interaction.

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Recommendations

• Survey your students to find out what devices they use.

• Seek out opportunities to pilot systems (ResponseWare free 30-day, 30-seat trial can be used in conjunction with clickers).

• Encourage students to `partner’ in the innovation.

Finally, you can watch a video we produced with clicker practitioners at the Faculty of Humanities:

‘What’s the Use of Clickers?’http://goo.gl/GgqM1