Audience response systems: technology to engage learners.

An audience response system (ARS) provides a means of infusing interaction into a traditional didactic lecture format, enhancing student attention and learning. It can be used in a variety of ways, with both large and small audiences, to evaluate participants' knowledge, attitudes, and opinions or to verify student attendance at a lecture. The technology of ARS has markedly improved over the years, resulting in systems that are less costly and easier to use. Commercial systems that can be rented or purchased as well as local systems that can be downloaded free via the Internet are available. In this essay, the author reviews the components of an ARS, the history of ARS, educational outcomes related to ARS use, the benefits and limitations of ARS, tips for using an ARS, and current developments in ARS.