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eVoting (PRS)

Electronic Voting Systems (PRS)

There are a number of electronic voting systems available for educational use. They enable you to ask your audience (students) questions and receive instant feedback on their responses. The system used at the University of Aberdeen is the Interwrite Personal Response System (PRS).

Why should I use an electronic voting system such as PRS?

Some of the benefits often cited for using PRS are that:

  • It enables you to test students' understanding of your subject
  • It facilitates discussion and peer learning/instruction
  • Students are actively engaged in learning
  • Attendance can increase as a result of students feeling more motivated

The JISC / University of Strathclyde video demonstrates why staff adopted the electronic voting system PRS in their teaching.

Where can I use PRS?

The PRS software is installed on every lectern PC located in teaching rooms across the various campuses (Old Aberdeen/King's College, Foresterhill) and can also be installed on any laptop. There are also a number of mobile PRS radio frequency (RF) receivers and 600 PRS RF handsets (clickers) which can be booked for use in any location. This enables you to use the system wherever you wish.

What support is available?

The Centre for Learning & Teaching run workshops on PRS throughout the year and tailored or one-to-one sessions can be arranged at any time of the year. If you have any queries about PRS please contact the eLearning Team at elearning@abdn.ac.uk

The PRS RF handsets and receivers are maintained and set up for you, where required, by the Audio-Visual teams in Old Aberdeen and Foresterhill.

How do I book the PRS handsets (clickers) and receivers?

There are 600 PRS radio-frequency (RF) handsets in total (12 cases, 50 handsets per case) and number of mobile PRS RF receivers.  A number of lecture theatres and laboratories are equipped with permanent PRS RF receivers, such as the Arts Lecture Theatre, the Polwarth Auditorium, the Zoology laboratories G9, G11, B03, B06. These are maintained and setup for you, where required, by the Audio-Visual teams at Foresterhill and Old Aberdeen.

If you are teaching in Old Aberdeen, you can book the handsets by sending an email to the Audio Visual Unit specifying the number of handsets required, date, time and location or by completing their online booking form.

If you are teaching in Foresterhill, you can book the handsets by contacting Martin Hardie or Stuart Duncan on ext. F52806 (or 552806).

How do I obtain and install the software?

You can download the Windows (7, Vista, XP, Office 2010/11) version of the software (version 6.71). This version will be available on all lectern PCs for the AY 2010-2011. If you installed a Windows version of the software during previously then you will first need to uninstall this version (version 5.00.0143 or earlier) before you can install the current version available for the AY 2010-2011. 

The previous version (5.22.0120) of the software are compatible with the current version (version 6.71). It is therefore not essential, although it is highly recommended, that you upgrade your installation of PRS for the AY 2010-2011.

View the release notes for version 6.71

If you use a Mac, the software can be obtained at the bottom of this page.

Problems installing the Windows version of the software? 

If you encounter the following error message 'launch script error: Invalid function name (20Response)', you will need to do the following:

1. Create a folder named 'download' on your local disk drive (Double-click on My Computer,  double-click on your local disk drive and then click on File > New > Folder)

2. Save the Windows version of the software to this folder and then double-click on the file to start the installation wizard (see below).

Installing the software

Double-click on the file to start the installation wizard, follow the on-screen instructions and accept the default installation directory suggested.  If you use a Mac, the software can be obtained at the bottom of this page.

The first time you run the Interwrite Response software it will setup your preferences. Accept the default location (Local User's Directory) and when you are asked if you wish to register your software online click on No (there is no need to register it). A First Look window will appear providing a summary of the main features. Deselect the option 'Show this First Look window at start up' at the bottom of the page and then close the window.

 

How do I author PRS questions, create a class and run a PRS session?

Authoring PRS questions

We recommend using PowerPoint for authoring questions for PRS. When you install the Interwrite Response software, it will automatically insert a PRS Add-in toolbar into PowerPoint that will enable you to author PRS questions. You can download instructions on using the PRS Add-in toolbar in PowerPoint for Windows and PowerPoint for Mac. You can also use the PRS software itself or just ask an impromptu question and use the PRS software to collect the responses.

First, we recommend that you create a class for your course and teaching location (e.g. BI1004, Arts Lecture Theatre). You will only need to do this once for every course/location.

Creating your own class

To create a class, login to a lectern PC, start the Interwrite Response software (double-click the link on the desktop), and select Create a New Class. Skip the introductory page by clicking on Next>. Enter your course code and location e.g. BI1004ALT for Class Name and click on Next>. Skip the following page by clicking on Next>. Select PRS RF/Virtual Clicker for Clicker Type and click on Next>. Enter your course code and location for Broadcast Name e.g. BI1004ALT and click on Next>. Skip the following page by clicking on Next>. Click Finish.

Running a PRS session on a lectern PC (or equivalent)

Start your PowerPoint presentation containing PRS questions and at the prompt 'We have detected that the presentation contains Response questions. Do you want to activate the Response Session now?' click on Yes. The Interwrite Response software will start. Wait until a 'Collect Responses - New Session' dialog box appears. You will be presented with a default class called 'My class'. Select your class and click on OK. A minimised PRS toolbar will appear which will expand when you are on a slide with a PRS question.

It is preferable to create your own class although you can use the default 'My class' to run your session. This is because 'My class' has been setup to be used with a various types of PRS handsets (clickers). This means that the class is 'broadcast' on 2 channels. Only the first single letter or number refers to the channel appropriate for the PRS RF handsets.

What information and guides are available for providing to students?

How do I access the data from a PRS session?

When you run a PRS session from a lectern PC, all the data from the session is automatically stored on the H:drive of the person who logged onto the lectern PC.

To subsequently access the data from your office, start the Interwrite Response software on your office PC, under the section 'Select Database' click on Open... open the folder H:/Interwrite Response/database/, select the default database defaultDB.prs and click on Open.. Once you have selected the database you can then view the results for your session by clicking on the link Manage My Data.

Can I use PRS for monitoring attendance?

If students are lent a PRS handset to use throughout a course (or year), or if they are lent a handset for use in a specific teaching session, the student will have been, or will be, prompted to enter their student ID. This ID is subsequently transmitted with each answer a student sends in during the PRS session, enabling staff to gauge the level of participation, and hence attendance, at the teaching session.

What training manuals and guides are available from Interwrite?

Interwrite have produced the following manuals and guides:

Can I install the PRS software on a Mac?

Interwrite PRS have produced a Mac version of their Response software, which supports Mac OS X 10.5 to OSX 10.7.  In version 6.71 the PowerPoint plugin is compatible with Microsoft Mac Office 2011.

Download the Mac version of the software (version 6.71) as a zip file. If you installed a Mac version of the software during the AY 2009-2010 then you will first need to uninstall this version before you can install the version available for  the AY 2010-2011.

Download the Linux version of the software (version 6.71) as a zip file.

View the release notes for version 6.71.