The design and implementation of a PPT template based on an SMS modem to make peer instruction easy and popular

Ning Xie, Ping Wu, Xiao Zhang, Yu He, Yong Zeng and Xiumei Li
Southwest Jiaotong University
Chengdu, China

In PI, the progress of any given class depends on the outcome of real-time student feedback on multiple-choice questions through using a ‘clicker’. However, the price and durability of the clicker has prevented the use of PI from becoming prevalent — Short Message Service (SMS) is cheaper and has wide popularity. A personal mobile phone can be used as a ‘clicker’ to send responses, with an SMS modem connected to a PC as the receiving centre. An SMS modem uses a WAVECOM chip and is controlled by the PC through Dynamic Link Liberate (DLL). We use VBA in a PPT template to connect to the modem, to read information in the modem and show the results. The single SIM card for the USB SMS modem is cheap, small in size and easy to install. To engage students in learning, teachers can design multiple-choice questions in our template and implement a dynamic lecture according to the students’ answers.