How to Effectively Use SRS in the Elementary Classroom

Abstract

Digital natives, born after 1980 and raised in a digital world, are avid digital multitaskers and are accustomed to technological devices as an integral part of their daily lives. Yet digital natives are in schools that struggle with technology to keep them engaged, motivated, and actively learning. A potential engaging technology called Student Response Systems (SRS) was investigated throughout this project. The purpose of this study was to explore whether teachers can create a lesson using the Interactive SRS Lesson Plan Template. Specifically, the intent of the module was to demonstrate the benefits of using SRS and encourage teachers to implement SRS into their daily routines. Subjects included 10 elementary teachers with little or no experience using SRS. Quantitative data collected through a pre, embedded, and post test revealed that participants met majority of the objectives in the module and scores increased by 33% in the post test. Qualitative data was collected using a demographic and attitudinal survey. The data revealed that participants generally felt more comfortable with SRS and agreed that it is a valuable tool to use in the elementary classroom as it improves feedback to students, improves the learning environment, and enhances learning and engagement.