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Student Response System
A Student Response System (SRS) is type of Audience Response System (ARS) that uses input devices and computer software to allow students to communication with their professor during class time. Student response systems are typically used in lecture style classroom, classrooms with fifty or more students, where there is minimal interaction between professors and students.

Software on the professor’s computer collects students’ questions, observations, and/or responses that are sent from a wireless keypad or cell phone. The incoming messages can be stored for later use by the professor and/or projected for the entire class to view. The professor can choose to not display the students’ names and numbers to insure privacy. Student response systems provide students with the ability to interact with the professor without interrupting the lecture and allow the professor to receive immediate feedback regarding student comprehension.

A SRS can improve the professor’s awareness of difficulties that students have concerning terms or concepts, in addition to improving student participation and engagement. These systems do impose certain challenges on both students and professors such as cost, distraction, and lack of two way interaction.

Components and Hardware
There are two components that are required to operate a SRS; a student input device and operating software. A student input device can be a wireless keypad or a web based device. Wireless keypads have a designated ID for each student in the class and transmit messages from the student to the professor’s computer. The messages are limited to yes or no responses and are available as infrared keypads or radio frequency keypads. Infrared keypads are one way communication devices that send limited messages to their matching receiver. Radio frequency keypads are similar to infrared keypads, however, they allow for two way communication because the sender has the ability to be notified on the keypad that their message was received by the receiver. Wireless keypads are generally used when a professor is taking attendance and /or asking a question because these types of responses only require simple yes or no answers. Web based devices allow for more sophisticated communication between the sender and the receiver. These devices come in many forms including text messages from cell phones and computers which are able to utilize both two way communication and responses in word or sentence form.

The second necessary component is the SRS operating software. This software is installed on the professor’s computer and collects the messages that are sent from the student input devices. It is used to create questions, tally and exhibit student responses, and record both attendance and scores.

Student response systems do not require the use of a projector or projection system. A projection system is only necessary if the professor would like for student results or questions to be displayed.

Benefits of Student Response Systems
Student response systems offer many different benefits for both students and professors. The following are potential benefits that improve student learning:
 * Student Preparation: Answers that professors/teachers collect from students can count as a percentage of the student’s grade. When students are aware that their scores are being graded they will be more alert and will come to class prepared to answer questions regarding the material being discussed.
 * Active Participation: The anonymity of student response systems assures approximately total class participation. Students who are shy or would not raise their hand if they had a question are now uninhibited to do so because their questions and comments are anonymous to their classmates. If a professor decides to conduct and display the responses to a survey regarding students’ comprehension of the material, they display the results anonymously to deters apprehension.
 * Enrollment Retention: A majority of lecture style classes contain hundreds of students and most of them are in the early stages of their academic career. A SRS provides a line of communication that enhances the relationship between students and their professors and gives the student a sense of community. This relationship affects student retention because enrollment is positively related to student’s sense of belonging Universities are concerned with the cost of the hardware for both the students and themselves.
 * Student Satisfaction: Studies show that student satisfaction increases when they are able to control the discussion of the class. Being able to provide a professor with feedback in the form of a question, observation, or comment, allows the students to control the pace of the class. Studies conducted from the 1960s to the 1990s concluded that students who feel as if their professor both knows them and cares about them will be more likely to listen and attend class.

The following are potential benefits that improve teaching effectiveness:
 * Class Attendance: The professor can use the SRS to take attendance before, during, or after each class. This can be done by collecting answers from a question that the entire class was asked to respond to. Student responses are then stored for the lecturer and the students who did not submit an answer are therefore viewed as absent.
 * Immediate Feedback: Student response systems allow professors to quickly and easily collect data regarding students’ questions, comments, and concerns. This helps professors to assess their student’s need because they are able to better understand the material that needs to be clarified and reviewed.

Challenges Regarding Student Response Systems

 * Lack of two-way interaction: When students send questions to their professor during class, professors respond to the entire class and are not able to send their response directly to the student. Professors are not able to provide long and extensive answers due to the lack of class time and because student response systems do not offer two way communication.
 * Cost: Universities are concerned with the cost of the hardware for both the students and themselves because student response systems require student input devices, software, and in some instances projection systems Universities are concerned with the cost of the hardware for both the students and themselves. Using student response systems may can be costly to the student because specific systems require text messaging from the student’s personal cell phone, or they require the purchase of a infrared or radio frequency keypad.
 * Distraction of student input devices: Input devices and cell phones can be obtrusive and distracting during class time because students focus their attention on the device instead of the material.
 * Student forgetfulness: It is required that students have an input device in order to participate with student response systems. If a student forgets to bring their device to class, then they will not be able to send their questions and/or comments to the professor.