Wireless Classroom Communication System – A preliminary study by C. Chiu (10/18/01)

(Part IV on the website: http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~ctalk/ )

Preamable: Classroom communication system has the potential to enhance the interactive learning atmosphere in the classroom. . Wireless system is more robust compared to the present Classtalk system (a wired system). We hope that in the near future we can replace the present Classtalk by the wireless system.

With the encouragement of our department, especially Mel Oakes, since last summer I have done some investigation on the wireless system.

The system, which I have investigated, on which I have done some testing, is the Classroom Performance System (CPS). I believe that this system is potentially useful for our introductory courses, other courses in our department, and perhaps more broadly on our campus.

Click here to read a a short announcement to the Academy of Distinguished Teachers.

Basic components of the system:Transmitters, Receiver(s) (seeing-eye) plus software. Response time: present model: 30 msec, new model available in Jan ’02: 18 msec.). The system runs on PC.

Past, Present and Future

• The system has been used in elementary schools and high schools since Oct ‘99. It has served about 15K –20K students mainly in small (<20) and medium (20-50) classrooms.
• System has been extended to service large classroom (up to 256 students) since Fall 01.

System with ~200 transmitters was purchased by several universities: e.g.

• U. of Iowa: Medicine,
• U. of Kentucky: Chemistry,
• U. of Liverpool (England), Medicine,
• Hebrew University: Medicine.
• Bookstore model: Can service over 500 students. Available for the use in Spring’ 02
• Chemistry Dept of UC Berkeley plans to service ~2000 students. There are four sections, about 500 students in each section.
• Physics Dept of U of Northern Arizona: Plans to start using a ~200 student system.

Cost (Following are ballpark figures. Click here for more details)

• Transmitters:
• System purchased by a school: About $50-60 per transmitter.

• Bookstore model: Each student buys his/her own transmitter.

• Following price will be fixed for two semesters.
• Transmitter plus enrollment code: $31.5
• Enrollment code only: $10.
• Bookstore will buy back a transmitter for $14.50. (Several bookstores have already agreed to the setup. Still need a confirmation from UT Coop)

The “enrollment code fee” which has been built in to compensate for the R & D cost in introducing the bookstore model. After two semesters the price structure will be reassessed.

• Receiver plus software: (Conservative estimates)
• Classroom up to about 130 students (One receiver only): $250.
• Large classroom: 130-400 students (A hub + 2-3 receivers): $1000 –$1250.
• Larger classroom: (Two hubs might be needed) $2000 -$2500).

Record Keeping of our present Classtalk system (a wired classroom communication system)

Go to the classtalk homepage: http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~ctalk/

• Ongoing class record-at-glance of each class: see I.2.a
• Detailed class record for instructors and TAs: see II.4 A ( Please contact me at chiu@physics.utexas.edu for a confidential password)
• Comments on Classtalk System and Interactive Teaching: see Sec. III.
• In class credit based on classtalk record (An example: See paragraphs 3 and 6 in my first-day handout, which is linked to website: http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~itiq/303K/chiu/ )