Welcome to Biology 102, Spring term, 2006. In the lectures, we’ll be using a Personal Response System (PRS). Each textbook comes bundled with a keypad; this keypad communicates with the audiovisual equipment in the lecture hall, TLS 154. It’s important to bring the keypad to lecture, because your responses with the keypad will affect your grade. It’s also important not to lose the keypad, since you are responsible for replacing it if you do. Replacement keypads are available at the Co-op bookstore. Keypads used in previous semesters will NOT work in Spring 2006.

Setting up the Personal Response System

Each keypad has a unique serial number, and we will associate this unique number with your name by having you take a brief quiz over WebCT. The quiz will be available for you to take until 8:00 PM, Saturday January 21, 2006. Note that if you do not register your keypad, you will not receive any credit for correct answers with the system! In the second week of classes, the lab TAs will follow up with any students whose keypads are not properly registered. More details about keypad registration will be posted on this website as they become available.

 

How the Personal Response System works

Once the system is set up, the lecturer will use it in class to ask questions. Once the class is comfortable using the system, the lecturer ask questions that count for points. When the lecturer asks a question using this system, you’ll see a special PowerPoint Slide:

To select an answer, press the appropriate key on your keypad. When the system reads your response, the LED on the face of your keypad will turn green (see image below). You can change your choice by pressing a different key on your keypad. Your answers should be your own and should be given without consulting other students.

If the LED on the face of your keypad remains red (see image below), the system has not read your response. You will receive credit for answers only if the system receives your response!