FAQs and Troubleshooting
- Why should I use an electronic voting system such as PRS?
- Where can I use PRS?
- What are the arrangements for using PRS within the School of Medicine and Dentistry at Forester Hill?
- What support is available?
- How do I book the PRS handsets (clickers) and receivers?
- How do I obtain and install the software?
- How do I author PRS questions?
- How do I create a class?
- How do I run a PRS session?
- What information and guides are available for providing to students?
- How do I access the data from a PRS session?
- Can I use PRS for monitoring attendance?
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Q: Why should I use an electronic voting system such as PRS?
A: 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 PRS video (.mov) demonstrates why staff adopted the electronic voting system PRS in their teaching.
A: 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.
Q: What are the arrangements for using PRS within the School of Medicine and Dentistry?
A: If you work for NHS Grampian please contact the IT servicedesk and ask them to install the PRS software on your PC. If you work for the University of Aberdeen please contact the Foresterhill Service Desk medit@abdn.ac.uk or download the latest version of the software from the Download the PRS software section of this website.
Year 1 - 3 students have their own handsets however Years 4-5 do not so you will need to book handsets for them. To book handsets please contact the Foresterhill AV by phone: 76 52806 or Bleep: 3856 .
A: The Centre for Academic Development can arrange one-to-one sessions 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.
Q: How do I book the PRS handsets (clickers) and receivers?
A: 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).
Q: How do I obtain and install the software?
A: Login here to download and Install the PRS software
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Q: How do I author PRS questions?
A: 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.
Q: How do I Create my own class?
A: 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.
Q: How do I Run a PRS session on a lectern PC (or equivalent)?
A: 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?
- PowerPoint slide on how to join a class and use your handset (anonymous session)
- PowerPoint slide on how to join a class and use your handset if you wish to record their student ID for attendance or assigning marks (student ID required)
Q: How do I access the data from a PRS session?
A: 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.
Q: Can I use PRS for monitoring attendance?
A: 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.