8.01/8.02 Clickers: Personal Response Devices (PRS)

In many of the classes of 8.01 and 8.02 we will ask questions that you respond to by using a radio frequency device sold by Turning Technologies. Your responses will provide us with instant feedback on our teaching of the material in the day's lesson and will also contribute to the portion of your course grade (7%) that is for class participation.

We ask you to purchase one of these devices; they are on sale at the Coop for $41.50. The device will be used in both 8.01 and 8.02 and will probably be used in other courses at MIT. The Coop also expects to operate a market for used Turning Point devices, similar to what it does for used textbooks. This link is to a PDF file with more information about the response devices.

Registering Your Response Device ID Number

Each device has a unique serial number that identifies the device to our RF receiver. As soon as you have purchased your device, we ask you to report the ID number of your device to us. Please do so by clicking this link.

Checking Your Response Device ID Number

If you would like to check whether we have correctly registered your device's serial number, follow this link. (It may take a day to be updated after you register your device.)

Using the Device

The device has a small light above the "1/A" key that will flash green for about a second when your response has been recorded by the system. If you answer more than once, only your most recent response will be recorded.

The devices can broadcast on 82 different RF channels; your response will not be recorded if the channel is incorrectly set. For 8.01 you will need to set your device to broadcast on channel 41. Here is how to do that.

Press and release the "GO" button. The light above the "1/A" key should flash alternately red and green.
Use the keys to enter the two-digit channel number 41.
The light should turn green for a few seconds to indicate success.

August 27, 2007.