What Are Audience Response Systems?
An Audience Response System (ARS) is a tool that combines audience response devices and presentation audience response software to enhance interaction between a presenter and their audience.
It is also known as a real-time ars system or PowerPoint audience response system. Our ARS utilizes compact handheld keypads, commonly referred to as “clickers,” which allow audience members to easily participate and engage with a presentation by simply pressing a button.
Typically, questions presented through an ARS are in the form of true/false, multiple-choice, or may require specific numerical responses. Some systems also offer the option for free-text responses, which are then compiled into word clouds for a quick assessment of the most prevalent response ideas.
How Do Audience Response Systems Work?
Typically, the presenter employs a computer and a video projector that enables the audience to easily view presentation slides with their questions. Audience members respond by pressing a key on their audience response devices, and these responses are transmitted to a base station or receiver connected to the presenter’s computer. The audience response software then gathers and compiles the results, which the presenter can display graphically during the event.
It’s worth emphasizing that ARS allows for the collection of data in an anonymous manner. Beyond release concerns about responding to questions, this feature proves particularly valuable for events involving voting. In situations where tracking is necessary, such as in classrooms or corporate training events, ARS can trace responses back to specific audience members or event participants. If needed, incoming data can be stored in a database on the personal computer, and data reports can be generated after the event for further analysis.
Benefits of Audience Response Systems
Audience response systems are suitable for use in different scenarios, including corporate meetings, sales conferences, higher education, and television entertainment. In most instances, their primary goal is to provide presenters or speakers with instant feedback that can be showcased or stored. However, the advantages of audience response devices extend well beyond this, as these systems can be effectively employed for:
Enhance engagement
A 2005 University of Wisconsin survey involving instructors and students revealed that the majority of participants using audience response devices improved engagement in the classroom. Audience response devices prove most effective for fostering learning when educators utilize them for presenting teaching content through surveys, pre-tests, reviews, or when posing challenging questions.
(Interestingly, some college professors employ ARS for tasks like attendance taking or grading answers in large lecture halls, tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming and unreliable if relying solely on mobile survey apps.)
Gather data
Companies across the globe use audience response systems for product evaluations and strategy sessions to collect information that can inform their decisions.
Conduct anonymous polls
Organizations frequently turn to ARS for election events, such as selecting new board directors and committee members or proposing changes to policies, procedures, and bylaws. Audience response software effectively compiles the votes and provides the percentage of respondents who chose a particular candidate but maintains the anonymity of individual votes.
Promote audience interaction
Audience response devices can create engaging learning environments simply due to their novelty. When asked for their opinions, individuals tend to be highly interested in comparing their responses with those of fellow audience members.
Facilitate communication
Unlike traditional settings where audience members must raise their hands and be chosen to respond, audience response devices grant everyone an equal opportunity to participate. The presenter can then use the responses to stimulate meaningful discussions. Given the system’s capacity for anonymous responses, it is particularly effective for addressing sensitive questions regarding ethical, legal, and moral issues.
Verify audience comprehension
ARS can indicate whether listeners are grappling with a particular topic and allow you to adapt your presentation or lecture in real-time. Students also acknowledged this benefit for their own self-assessment, with 75% of them agreeing or strongly agreeing that “Clickers helped me get instant feedback on what I knew and didn’t know.”
Radio Frequency Transmission for ARS
RF transmission offers a more versatile system that is highly effective in large group settings. RF systems have the capacity to hundreds of participants through a single base station. Moreover, these systems can capture signals from all directions, eliminating the need for a direct line of sight between the handheld devices (remotes) and the receiver. In RF systems, remote devices can be positioned more than 300 feet away from the receiver while still receiving signals.
In contrast, IR systems are restricted to capturing signals within a 280-degree arc across the front and sides of the receiver, and typically, the remotes must be positioned within 50 feet of the receiver. Consequently, IR systems are better suited for smaller rooms.
An RF system can effectively manage audiences numbering in the thousands by enabling the connection of multiple base stations. In fact, certain advanced systems can support over a thousand participants using just one base station.
Cost of Audience Response Systems
The cost of Audience Response Systems depends on audience response device selection, generally, audience response devices are from USD10 to USD40, and the matched base station is from USD60 to USD200.
Where Can I buy Audience Response Systems?
Kylin is an original manufacturer of audience response devices, if you want to buy, feel free to send an email!
