Key to engaging your audience with response systems are the robust and reliable wireless "clickers" or "keypads" used by participants. ABT uses keypads in their normal Audience Response System guise ("voting") as well as for ABT's bespoke business simulations and models.
Voting
Audience Response Systems are an invaluable way of engaging your audience, be that in a classrooom, lecture theatre, conference or consulting environment. The software from most suppliers is integrated into Powerpoint, enabling the presenter to seemlessly include voting slides with their standard presentations. The audience register their answers using keypads and the graphical results can be displayed immediately on the Powerpoint slide.
At a simple level, response systems can gather useful data from the audience. This can be displayed, retained for later analysis, and used to tailor and steer the presentation. Other methods of using response systems can act as effective "ice-breakers", improve learning outcomes, and promote audience participation, discussion and competition. (see Using Keypads for further details)
Simplicity and Complexity
The clickers are simple enough to operate that their use does not distract from the core intent of the session. However, the underlying capabilities allow ABT to use them to model, simulate and demonstrate tremendously complex business concepts.
Based on ABT's experience in many European business schools, the lack of web-enablement is a strong advantage in the classroom insofar as students are not tempted by a myriad other capabiliities; email, text, chat, blogging etc.
ABT uses keypads by a variety of manufacturers, including Qwizdom, Xtol and Turning Technologies and would generally advocate the use of keypads with a small screen and two way communications. However, if purchasing keypads, there are a multitude of factors to consider, including hardware capability, price, support, software functionality, question types supported, purchasing policy and LMS integration. ABT is happy to advise on all aspects of clicker selection, trialling, adoption and roll out.
Options
Response Systems may be bought or rented, and ABT staff are available to advise on and support their deployment both before and on the day of presentations. ABT also offers their standard and bespoke business simulations to address key business objectives and learning.