Feedback in a Face-to-Face Setting

Digital media can provide effective support for face-to-face teaching in the lecture theatre. So-called audience response systems (ARS) are particularly useful in this context. They make it possible to carry out surveys during a lecture. Students can use their end devices or go online to select an answer from a prescribed list –similar to the quiz show "Who wants to be a millionaire?“. The results of the voting are then presented visually in the lecture theatre. 

In this way, teaching staff can quickly gauge the current level of knowledge in their audience and can then perhaps go through or repeat topics that have not been understood. These feedback systems also allow students to get anonymous feedback on their learning progress. The use of audience response systems makes particular sense in large groups as they involve all the participants at the same time and allow them all to take an active part.

There are a number of different systems that can be used for voting. It is important to distinguish between systems with hardware support and those with software support. Systems with hardware support include small wireless devices – known as "clickers" – which allow students to transmit the selected answer by pressing a button. Web-based voting systems function without the need for an additional device, as the answer is entered via an app on the student's smartphone or tablet, or is entered directly into the browser.