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Using a Responder System
by William Brunson, National Judicial College

A wireless response system enables instructors to elicit anonymous responses from participants, who can punch in their responses on their individual keypads. 

The system consists of an antenna, wireless keypads, and a computer with an attached projector.  Questions developed by the presenter are projected onto the classroom screen.  The participants input their answers via the wireless keypads.  Responses are captured and compiled by the computer and then displayed in bar graph or pie chart formats. 

This is all done in “real time,” giving instant, anonymous feedback.  The anonymous responses are tabulated and displayed instantaneously.  Response printouts are easily generated, and data can be downloaded into statistical software for further analysis.

Purchasing a System
There are two basic choices in purchasing hardware for a system, infrared or radio, and there are two choices with software, a PowerPoint plug-in, or a stand-alone software package.

Most plug-ins provide a slide layout template which reserves space for the graph. When the presentation is run, the presenter begins polling either automatically when the slide comes up or on command. When voting is complete, a standard Microsoft Graph is displayed in the reserved area of the slide.

Stand-alone applications are more sophisticated and typically written in C, C++, or C# languages which are stable and robust environments. Their presentation modules usually include high quality graphics, suitable for use in high-end audio visual productions. They will also let you create questions on-the-fly and do side-by-side or pre/post comparisons.

Before making a purchase, the following steps are recommended:

• Get a trial version of the software, if it is available
• Install the software and build a presentation to run in practice mode
• Look at the manual and talk to the vendor’s support line if you have questions
• Check to see if the vendor has equipment available for rent, if you want to test it in a live environment before purchasing
• Consider the level of support offered by the vendor. Do they provide a helpline or training? Are upgrades planned and what will be the cost? Are technicians available on-site if needed?

When should you use the responder system?
The responder system is an effective tool for ensuring that participants become involved in the learning process.  It is particularly effective when there are differences of opinion on certain issues (e.g., sentencing an offender, sustaining or overruling an evidentiary objection, granting or denying a motion).  It should not be used when there is likely to be uniformity of opinion. 
The responder system is most effective when you want to

• Seek an anonymous response
• on subject matter that will cause the audience to become uneasy (e.g., race and gender relations, political views) or
• to avoid embarrassing participants who lack knowledge in the subject matter
• Receive an honest response to difficult questions (e.g., defining the participants’ reversal rate with regard to the particular material)
• Obtain instant feedback from the group and demonstrate the results immediately
• Assess the participants’ baseline knowledge or to evaluate what they have learned as a result of the presentation
• Display the results of a pre-test or post-test to evaluate changes in the participants’ behavior
• Use diverse teaching methods to ensure that the instructor responds appropriately to the differing learning styles of the participants.

Potential Pitfalls of Responder System Use

1. It is difficult to write statements that can be answered with a definitive “yes” or “no” response.
2. Few issues are black and white; there are usually shades of gray that complicate things.
3. Questions can easily be misinterpreted, which can interfere with or hinder the learning process.
4. With true or false questions, guessing can distort the true knowledge base of the participants.
5. The graphs can be difficult to interpret quickly.
6. If all or a vast majority of the participants choose the correct response at the beginning of a program—although extremely rare—it can hamper discussion.

What are the benefits of the responder system?

1. The system allows participants to interact with the instructor without fear of embarrassment.  For example, in an evidence course, ask the participants whether they would overrule or sustain an objection.  The instructor can then show a graph showing how many sustained the objection and how many overruled. 
2. It provides unparalleled accuracy in determining whether the participants understand the information presented.
3. It stimulates audience participation. 
4. Ultimately, its use results in greater participation, which increases the participants’ chances of learning the material.

Effective Sample Questions

Question:  I became a judge because I wanted to . . .

1. Interpret the law fairly
2. Make a difference in the justice system
3. Ensure that justice is done in cases before me
4. Earn a good living and work reasonable hours
5. Other

NOTE:  It is extremely important to offer the “other” option in questions where there is no correct answer.  Otherwise, if none of the responses is appropriate for the participants, they will either complain about the form of the question or will not respond, both of which adversely affects participation.

Question:  The two biggest predictors of future criminal behavior are:

1. Poverty and drug use
2. Poverty and a lengthy criminal record
3. A degree from the University of Nevada-Reno and owning a  motorcycle
4. Mental instability and substance abuse
5. Anti-social attitudes and anti-social associates

NOTE:  The use of humor is appreciated; however, it will skew your results and it can become trite, so use humor sparingly.  In this question, because there is a “right” answer, you don’t need to provide an “other” choice.  If participants object to the answers, simply ask them to select their top choices from the available list. 

Question:  Sentencing guidelines should almost always be adhered to:

1. Strongly disagree
2. Disagree
3. Neutral
4. Agree
5. Strongly agree

Suggestions for Using the Responder System

• Pass out the keypads to the participants and demonstrate how the keypad works (if you are the first presenter to use the device at that program).
• Ask each person to press a numeric key on their keypad to observe what happens.  This can be done in response to a question (which does not have to be projected).  For example, ask the participants to answer a simple yes or no question (e.g., “I am happy to be here today:  Yes or No?”) 
• Ensure that your questions are as concrete and brief as possible (for ease of reading as projected and for simplicity’s sake).
• While you may have up to ten (10) responses on any one question, depending on the system you use, it is recommended that you attempt to use no more than five (5) responses for projection purposes and for ease of interpreting the data quickly. 
• If you base the questions on a hypothetical, ensure that the audience understands the facts before asking for responses.
• If the graph only shows percentages, don’t try to convert them into raw numbers while presenting (some graph formats give the option of raw numbers and percentages).  Bottom line:  You are trying to show that there is diversity of opinion and you want participants from each viewpoint to explain why they voted as they did.
• If there is confusion regarding the question despite your best efforts, ask the audience members to re-vote -- only the last vote counts.
• Should a vast majority of the participants respond correctly to your question, don’t spend too much time on that problem, because the audience obviously understands that point. 

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