Based on the workshop by Robin Støckert and Tord Talmo at MSU June 7, 2012 and SRS overview by Trond Morten Thorseth, Gabrielle Hansen-Nygård, John Birger Stav, Knut Bjørkli, Pascal Pein

What is SRS?

Student Response System (SRS) is a free and effective interactive tool quite simple in use. It is developed by HiST mobile project. SRS combines some features of a multiple choice mobile exercise (see Tool of the month, June) and those of a communicative application for getting instant feedback. The chief goal of an SRS is to get immediate feedback on the students' level of understanding during lectures and presentations of new material. At the same time SRS can be implemented within language classes for grammar 'stop and drill' (a short review and drill on current grammar). SRS can introduce brainstorming activities perfectly stimulating further discussion as well. Finally, SRS fits short listening comprehension tasks on additional podcast materials.

The most amazing thing about SRS is that it SAVES TEACHER'S TIME ON PREPARATION FOR LESSONS since questions are supposed to be designed accordingly with no time consuming uploading procedures. Among other advantages of SRS is students' involvement, group work motivation and engagement.

Technology

To use SRS neither the teacher, nor the students need any special equipment: just the teacher's laptop or one school computer and students' smartphones or iPods. The stages are the following:
1. Download the teachers' software: http://www.histproject.no/node/7
2. Register: http://histproject.no/node/139
3. Think of questions in advance or skip the stage and just ask smth on the spot during the lesson: there is no need to upload the questions
4. Before asking a question choose the number of answers, the time for answering, etc. - it takes half a minute during the lesson
5. Get the answers immediately and anonymously

Methods

1. Instant feedback on understanding material
2. Grammar 'stop and drill'
3. Brainstorming activities
4. Listening comprehension
5. Skimming and scanning reading activities

Our experience

The SRS is going to be widely used at seminars and lectures at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies in 2012/2013. The above mentioned types of activities based on SRS will be integrated into teaching process during Fall semester 2012 and the results of this experience will be published on our site.

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