Success and failure of audience response systems in the classroom

Abstract

Williams College has been working with audience response systems or "clickers" for three years. Initial experiments with the clickers had mixed results in both performance and faculty enthusiasm for the technology. In the last two years, Williams moved from an infrared system to a radio system that was more portable. After some favorable demos, key faculty tried the technology in their classes. Clicker use spread and is now used in classes as small as 10 students and as large as 180 students.