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UK handset users and sites

(written by Steve Draper,   as part of the Interactive Lectures website)

This page lists some sites and people I know of in the UK mainly in Higher Education who are interested in classroom handsets, PRS, or similar approaches to interactive teaching. (To see why we are interested in this technique, and other information about why you might be interested, look at the parent page to this one.)

I suggest that if you are looking for a person or place, that you use your browser's "Find" command to search this page for (part of) the name you are interested in.

This page is organised firstly by (university) site with just a few key people mentioned: it would not be practical to mention them all. The order is idiosyncratic: expect to search using the Find command, not by scanning by eye. This page just contains people I happen to know about: it is not likely to be complete. If you would like to be added or removed, or if you can suggest someone else who should be listed here, please email me (s.draper@psy.gla.ac.uk) and I will act promptly on your request. People have found it useful to discover who is already interested in EVS or PRS near them, and conversely to advertise here their interest to others in their institution or city. Also, any pointers to papers and web documents on this would be gratefully received.

(PRS is used widely in some places outside the UK, including Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, UMass/Amherst, Rutgers, University of British Columbia, North Dakota, and UC Berkeley. See also for mainly USA sites using PRS.)

Strathclyde University

Jim Boyle at the engineering pub Prof. Jim Boyle, in Mechanical Engineering, may be the longest standing practitioner in the UK, starting with non-technologically supported "peer instruction" in 1997, then using an earlier equipment system (Classtalk), and then being the first UK purchaser of PRS in 1998. He has by now modified not just his teaching practice but the timetable and the architecture of his teaching rooms, and been involved in project NATALIE. A number of papers based on evaluations by David Nicol are becoming available. The longest standing use is in the first year class in Mechanical Engineering, but there is some other use of the equipment at Strathclyde now, e.g. in maths (Geoff McKay), in psychology, in teaching foreign languages, (Michele Dickson) and student induction.

University of Glasgow

We have tried out the use of handsets since October 2001 in a variety of departments including Philosophy, Psychology, Computing Science, Biological sciences, Medicine, Vet School and the Dental School (with GPs), with audience sizes from 20 to 300, and with students in level 1 to level 4. See our interim report on this. See also the various papers published, listed on the main web page. Three contacts are Steve Draper (Psychology), Quintin Cutts (Computing Science), and Susan Stuart in Philosophy.

Besides a central pool of mobile EVS equipment, available for any department or teacher to use, Physics have bought their own set of kit for first year lectures, Statistics have about 150 for their use, and Steve Brindley has a set for sessions aimed at those outside the university. Modern Languages use a set of 50 in smallish language teaching groups regularly; and a larger set for level 1 and 2 classes. Charles Higgins in Education is acquiring 300 partly for external use.

University of Edinburgh

Physics and Biology have embarked on serious PRS use in first year classes: Simon Bates is the person to talk to about this, and also see this site for other educational initiatives there. This followed preparatory work by Alistair Bruce who wrote a short article on this. A set of PRS kit for loan to lecturers, now more than 500 handsets, has been purchased by the Media and Learning Technology Service. Contact Mark Findlay or Nora Mogey .

University of Surrey

Vicki Simpson and Paul Burt (E-learning unit) (or try here or here) have been advising on adoption of the handsets. They had an Interactive Presenter system with 250 handsets that they used to pilot for the delivery of lectures in the School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences. They have now bought 1,000 RF handsets using TurningPoint.

University of Bath

Now has a particularly well integrated and organised system of supporting new EVS users, with multiple elements to the support including collecting evaluation data on the success of the new uses. They currently have Turningpoint kit. See here. Contact Nitin Parmar.

Nick Vaughan (Mechanical Engineering) may have used handsets (perhaps the CPS system). He supervised an undergraduate project that did a study on potential use, comparing PRS, Classtalk, and CPS:
J.Smith (2001) Dialogue and interaction in a classroom environment (Final year research project, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath). Summary.

University of Aberdeen

Phil Marston of the learning technology unit has bought a small set, and is evaluating them. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/ltu/pmarston/prs/. (or if you have already registered, then here).

University of Wolverhampton

Apparently have used PRS to teach computing; but now have Turningpoint kit. Contact ILE.

Wolverhampton is also the home of the large REVEAL project involving EVS use largely in schools: using Promethean equipment; and have reports available. Contacts there: Andrew Hutchinson and Diana Bannister, who are part of a learning technologies team.

Glasgow Caledonian University

A large set (many hundreds) of PRS-RF handsets have been bought and used in the business school for first year students.

University of Central England (in Birmingham)

Bill Madill (Bill.Madill@uce.ac.uk) of the School of Property and Construction wrote an MEd thesis on Peer Instruction. He has a case study of using PRS available on the web: synopsis and full case study.

University of Wales, college of medicine (Cardiff)

They bought a (non-PRS) system and used it for a while from 1997, but it may have fallen into disuse: see this paper by Joe Nicholls.
Wendy Sadler in Physics and Astronomy is buying a set for school liaison as well as for students.

University of Portsmouth

Michael McCabe (michael.mccabe@port.ac.uk) was awarded a 3-year HEFCE National Teaching Fellowship for Project LOLA (Live and On-Line Assessment -- the proposal is available). The live part of the assessment relates to the use of interactive classrooms in face-to-face teaching, which includes PRS handsets as one approach. Other papers are listed on the main page.

An unconfirmed report says the psychology group also bought PRS equipment.

The ExPERT centre has bought about 80 IML handsets. For more information, contact Lesley-Jane Reynolds.

University of Lancaster

Caroline Elliott (Economics dept.) has done featured work on using handsets in 2000/1. The dept. of Accounting and Finance also uses them regularly (see here). There is a set of about 150 PRS handsets: contact Sue Armitage.

University of Southampton

Su White and Hugh Davis and others in Electronics and Computer Science have acquired some equipment and begun exploring its use in teaching from 2002.

Ray d'Inverno in Maths has begun using PRS, and has an early report and pedagogic rationale for PRS use.

Chemistry and Psychology have each purchased sets of 130+ TurningPoint RF handsets, and the university a further 240 for wider experimentation. David Read is using them in schools outreach.

University of Nottingham

Liz Sockett in Genetics is a big fan, and uses them extensively.

Science Museum (London)

Deborah Scopes (d.scopes@nmsi.ac.uk) has been exploring the use of handsets as an enhancement to public debates and lectures on science.

University of Ulster

Edwin Curran says PRS was installed ready for Sept 2003 in a 170 seat lecture theatre in Engineering, plus a portable system.

University of Liverpool

Both CPS and PRS used there. Doug Moffat (Mechanical Engineering).

Liverpool John Moores University

Laura Bishop (Palaeoantropologist) and Clare Milsom (Geologist) are considering introducing EVS use there.

University of Salford

PRS used there. Elizabeth Laws, Engineering.

Kingston University

George Masikunas, Andreas Panayiotidis, and others at the Kingston University (Kingston Upon Thames) business school introduced PRS in 2003-4 and use it for first year classes of about 250 students, where small groups are required to discuss and agree answers to the questions posed. They now (Sept. 2005) have and use a set of 60 handsets of the PPVote system.

University of Central Lancashire at Preston

Mick Wood is leading the introduction of EVS (using IML not PRS kit) there, with a first application in Sports Psychology.

University College London

Martin Oliver produced a report on whether using handsets might be worthwhile at UCL.

University of Keele

Stephen Bostock in the Staff Development Centre got interested in using PRS, meantime introduced the use of coloured cubes as a substitute, but now has Promethean radio-connected voting handsets working with interactive whiteboards, around campus.

University of Northumbria

Chris Turnock (or here) is currently co-ordinating staff development in the use of the system before undertaking further evaluation of its use within the university. Paul Barlow (paul.barlow@unn.ac.uk) in the School of Humanities is considering applying EVS in the Arts area.

University of Leeds

Leeds now has over 100 PRS handsets and a simple introductory website for EVS. Contact Tony Lowe.

Robert Gordon University (in Aberdeen)

Roger McDermott in the school of computing started to use them in various classes from October 2004, and there are more than 300 PRS handsets now. Contact Garry Brindley. The faculty of health and social care has also taken up their use.

Kings College London

Ann Wilkinson is looking into EVS use. Professor Simon Howell in Biomedical Sciences is believed to have used an EVS.

Bangor University

Paul Wood (r.p.wood@bangor.ac.uk) is installing a 120 set PRS system in a lecture theatre in November 2004 and plans to start trials with enthusiastic academics.

Coventry University

Anne Dickinson has been investigating possible use, particularly of the Discourse equipment, and has written a report. She also has a project on it: "Investigation of the potential use of a classroom communication system in the Higher Education context"

Lewisham College, London

Raja Habib and Raul Saraiva are looking into using PRS on behalf of their college.

Brooklands College, Weybridge, Surrey

Theresa Willis

National University of Ireland, Galway

Ann Torres has started (October 2004) using PRS for teaching Marketing Principles to a class of over 300.

Army Foundation College in Harrogate

Lesley Harburn (lesley.pete@tiscali.co.uk) is using Promethean portable pods as EVS in teaching 16 year-old Junior Soldiers as part of an Apprenticeship in IT at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

Essex University

Caroline Angus in Sports Science is a current big user (with PRS-RF kit).

Bournemouth University

Kimberley Norman in the Learning Design Studio is interested.

Brighton University

Gareth Reast is looking into purchasing a set of CPS (eInstruction); perhaps for use in the business school and applied social sciences.

University of Hertfordshire

They have some PRS and some Promethean equipment for audiences of 250. Contact: Andy Oliver.

Roehampton University

Andy Curtis is going to purchase some kit, and get it used.

University of East Anglia

Believed to have bought some kit for the medical school. Contact Ann Barrett.

University of Bristol

Have got the loan of 400 Promethean RF handsets. Contact Nic Earle.

University of Durham

Have 50-100 Quizdom handsets for Maths. Contact James Blowey. Also interest from Stuart Jones, Geology dept.

St. George's, University of London

Have 50-100 Quizdom handsets (medical students). Contact Philip Harvey.

Queen's University Belfast

Have 500 TurningPoint handsets. See here for the project. Contact David Robinson, or Prof. Brian Whalley, Geomorphology, for the original push.

University of Newcastle

Have 100 TurningPoint handsets as part of central support. Contact Az Mohammed (Az.Mohammed AT newcastle.ac.uk).

Leicester University

Has a set of RF KEEpad handsets plus TurningPoint software for use with first year biology students from Oct. 2007. Contact Jo Badge. Another set at the university has been used for school outreach.

Gordon Campbell, professor of Renaissance Studies, uses them.

Loughborough University

Has now got 300 handsets plus TurningPoint software. These are held centrally by media services and booked out. Currently most used in teaching maths to engineers by the Math Education Centre (contact Carol Robinson).

City University

Since about Easter 2008, they have 1000 RF handsets using TurningPoint software. See this page. Key contact: Sian Cox.

Reading University

Gan Niyadurupola (d.g.niyadurupola AT reading.ac.uk) has used them successfully in chemistry.

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

They are triallng Turning Point in class sizes ranging from 10 to 180. Contact Graeme Ferris.

Warwick University

Library and medical school have kit and TurningPoint software since 2006.

Abertay University

Rebecca Ross is in the process of purchasing.

Have made enquiries

Mike Watkinson (m.watkinson@qmul.ac.uk), Chemistry, Queen Mary, University of London

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