Examining the Efficacy of Personal Response Devices in Army Training

Abstract

Benefits of personal response devices (PRDs) have been demonstrated in a variety of settings and disciplines in higher education. This study looked outside of higher education to investigate the efficacy of PRDs in an Army training course in terms of trainee performance, engagement, and satisfaction. Instructors were also surveyed to determine their perceptions of the impact of PRDs on student learning and engagement. Participant trainees reported that they were more engaged and had a better understanding of how well they understood the material because of the PRDs. Participants who had previously taken the course without PRDs reported a preference for the training with PRDs in terms of being more engaged, learning more, and enjoying the course more. No improvement in performance was detected when comparing final exam scores in these courses to prior courses that did not use PRDs. Instructors appeared to see benefits afforded to their students, but they also found the course more challenging to teach, highlighting the need for adequate training to use the new technology, and care taken to developing effective questions.