Good Practice Guide to Qwizdom Voting System

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• Introduction
• Equipment
  • Mini Kits
• Booking equipment
• Support and training
  • For more information

Introduction

Qwizdom is an interactive voting system that is used in conjunction with PowerPoint presentation software to enhance interaction in lectures or seminars. Some ideas include:

• Providing quick quizzes throughout the lecture or seminar to test the students' understanding of the concepts discussed
• Assessing students' prior knowledge when introducing a new topic in lecture
• Posing questions to be discussed in small groups, who then report back through the handsets
• Collecting feedback on a lecture or module
• Providing a test at the end of a unit of work to gauge understanding before moving onto new material

The Qwizdom Good Practice Guide provides information about possible uses of Qwizdom as well as a comprehensive good to creating slides and running a presentation using it.

View the Qwizdom Good Practice Guide

Equipment

In 2008, Information Services acquired two additional sets of Qwizdom equipment, giving us four complete sets with a total of 118 handsets. This will facilitate the use of Qwizdom for larger classes and multiple concurrent bookings. The new equipment was purchased with assistance from the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Fund and specifically targets large-group teaching. If you use it for large groups in AY2008/9, please keep in contact with the E-learning Team at is-alto@aber.ac.uk so that we can provide support and collect your feedback for the LTEF report.

Each set has a carrying case with either 26 or 30 regular handsets, two Q5 handsets (with text input), one control hub, and printed documentation. Staff may borrow one or more sets, depending on class size. Please note that if you are using several sets of handsets with one hub, you will have to change the session ID on some of the handsets. Instructions are included in the carrying case.

The Qwizdom Actionpoint software is already installed on the teaching computers in centrally timetabled rooms, but you will also need it on the computer you use when creating your presentations. If you don't already have the software installed, you may use the installation disk found in the carrying case or purchase a disk for £3 from the Data Preparation office, E33a Llandinam building.

Mini Kits

New for Academic Year 2010-2011.
This year we have purchased a Mini Kit, consisting of the following:

• The latest version of Actionpoint (v2.4)
• A copy of the Good Practice Guide
• A USB hub
• Two handsets

This Mini Kit is available to loan from Information Services as detailed below and is ideal to take back to your office to help develop and test slides before use.

Booking equipment

The booking procedure is as follows:

• Bookings are done through the bookings link on the IS Media Loan Stock page. Check the calendar to see if any sets are available for the time and date you wish to use them.

• Email is-media@aber.ac.uk including the date(s) and time you wish to use the equipment and whether you need one or both sets. If you have any special request outside of this range, please include that information. In order to maximise availability, please plan to pick up and drop off the equipment as close as possible to the time you will actually use it. You will receive a confirmation email and see your booking appear on the calendar.

• Pick up the equipment from IS Media and Printing Services in Hugh Owen Library Level D and drop it off there when you have finished. Please note that there is a charge of £35 if you require delivery, set-up and collection of the equipment.

• If you encounter any problems with handsets, such as flat batteries or other malfunction, please let IS Media and Printing Services know about it when you return the equipment. For any questions about booking, please contact is-media@aber.ac.uk.

Support and training

We can provide you with support for both the technology and teaching applications of this system. See the Qwizdom Good Practice Guide for a quick guide to getting started with the technology as well as initial suggestions on what you might use it to accomplish in your teaching. Training is available for academic staff in a number of ways, including one-to-one guidance and group workshops. The Resources section is another source of pedagogical support, with academic articles and case studies of how this tool is used in other institutions.

A set of PowerPoint slides that contains instructions for students on using the handsets is available for download. You can incorporate the slides into your own PowerPoint presentation.

A report on Qwizdom usage was presented at the Learning & Teaching Excellence and Enhancement Conference  on 7 April 2009. Download the presentation.

For more information

• Qwizdom Good Practice Guide
• PowerPoint slides with instructions for students on using Qwizdom
• IS Media Loan Stock page with information about booking equipment
• Qwizdom booking calendar showing equipment availability
• Presentation on Qwizdom use as of 7 April 2009
• Training offered by the E-learning Team through CDSAP
• Resources  including case studies of clickers in use
• E-learning Team's bookmarks on the use of clickers
• If you have a query about Qwizdom, please contact the E-learning Team at is-alto@aber.ac.uk