If the students in a corporate call center training session miss a key concept, it might lead to a loss of profits or customer confidence. If soldiers in a military training class fail to learn or retain certain concepts, it can lead to a loss of life. Given the high stakes, many military trainers now incorporate response technology into the training mix.
Response technology is a wireless system that enables instructors to embed questions into presentations and enable students to submit responses via a keypad or smartphone. Even military contractors use a software development kit with an application programming interface (API) to enable a variety of applications to take advantage of keypad hardware in order to ask questions and conduct polling in lieu of traditional software. Responses are then aggregated and displayed on a screen in chart form. It’s a technique that is especially effective with today’s generation of military recruits, most of whom grew up using mobile devices, social media platforms and the Internet. They are accustomed to participating in the give-and-take of instant communication.
Instructors who use response technology typically embed questions they would have normally posed verbally to their students. However, instead of relying on a handful of outspoken trainees in the front of the room to provide answers, they expand the participant pool and allow all students to submit answers. This not only ensures that students who would normally be reluctant to speak up in class have their say on the topic, it also gives instructors a more accurate read on class progress.
By taking a look at the aggregate response, instructors can determine in real time whether the class has grasped the concept being discussed so that it’s safe to move on. If the class is struggling to understand a key point, the aggregate response will indicate it, allowing the instructor to spend more time on the concept to make sure students master it. Military trainers who’ve used this type of system report a dramatic improvement in answer accuracy.
Response technology is widely used in corporate training sessions as well as in K-12 schools and college classrooms. Instructors typically find that use of the technology keeps students more attentive and engaged. Lengthy training sessions in which instructors spend a considerable time lecturing without inviting student input can be a challenge for a generation accustomed to two-way conversations. Response technology provides a way for teachers to engage students while maintaining control of the classroom. It allows teachers to narrow the focus of the discussion with well-chosen questions followed by the display of aggregate responses.
In addition to improving student engagement, response technology also gives instructors valuable insights into classroom material and instructional techniques when a program or class is completed. Teachers can adjust their presentation if they discover students are having difficulty grasping a topic. After the class is over, instructors can review the aggregate data saved by the system to identify opportunities to refine their presentation. In this way, they can continuously improve their curriculum.
Some instructors use response technology to make a game of learning, dividing the classroom into teams, asking questions and displaying team responses for the class. With the right response technology solution, they can choose from a variety of game formats including a quiz show-style competition with points rewarded for correct responses and speed of answers or engage students with wagering games where teams bet points they’ve earned on their ability to answer questions correctly. All of these techniques are highly effective in civilian and military training settings since they spark student interest and hold participant attention.
Learning is important in any setting, but when the students are service personnel, the stakes can be especially high. That’s why instructors across all service branches are exploring innovative options like response technology. By engaging training session participants and giving instructors a clear perspective of class progress and presentation quality, the same response technology that improves profit margins in the business world can increase the margin of safety in military training.
