Mission Statement

The goal of this website is to promote the Audience Response Solution. We want to create an online community of experts and amateurs for the exchange of dialogue and information between Audience Response Solution users and providers. This website is an extension of the book: “Audience Response Solution: Applications and Best Practices.”

What is an ARS (Audience Response System)?

An Audience Response Solution (ARS) combines both hardware (keypads) and software. Audience members may use a keypad to enter responses during a presentation. The responses are transmitted to a base station, which relays the data to a computer. ARS software then tallies, sorts, and stores the data, allowing the data to be viewed during or after the presentation.

Why should we use the ARS?

Hand-raising, flashcards, and other low-tech methods of audience response have been used for centuries. So what makes ARS more effective and appealing than traditional methods? The ARS captivates the audience by providing social interaction between the presenter and the audience. Studies of the audience response system show that the ARS performs more favorably compared to low-tech methods. The ARS can quickly and anonymously collect data, which makes poll-taking much more efficient and accurate. You can easily divide your results according to demographic data such as race, gender, or age. The ARS saves time. It automatically sends information to a computer, which takes less time than counting hands or filling out surveys.

Who uses the ARS?

Educators can use the ARS to create a learning atmosphere that promotes an interactive classroom. Researchers can use the ARS to obtain more reliable results via electronically-sent data. Game show hosts can use the ARS to engage their audiences to make the audiences feel like they are “part of the game.” Educators, researchers, and game show hosts are all very different types of people, yet they share a universal appeal for ARS technology. In terms of convenience, efficiency, and speed, ARS is unmatched when it comes to presentation technology.