The Use of Response Systems in Higher Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic Period

Abstract

The present article investigates the dimensions of utilization of Response Systems (RSs) in the teaching process. These RSs provide learners with real-time interaction and strengthen their participation. The project is an attempt to record the views of students (N=199) regarding the experience and the impact of their involvement in the use of RSs. In an interdepartmental course taught at the Department of Philosophy and Education of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki during the spring semester of 2020, students used RSs before, during and after the teaching process. Participants were asked to complete an appropriate questionnaire regarding online RSs applications. In this study, we examined how and to what extent students accepted their involvement in the RSs in the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic period. The participants, coming from nine University Departments, evaluated positively the integration in RSs teaching. The results showed that more than nine out of ten participants agree that these applications provide new possibilities for strengthening teaching methods through an entertaining experience and the participants have stated that these applications enhance active participation and collaborative learning and engage them actively and pleasantly in a metacognitive function process.