Quizzes by ClickersQuizzes by Clickers

David DahlquistDavid Dahlquist

Definition and RequirementsDefinition and Requirements

Project Description: Project Description: Develop a system where Develop a system where students respond to questions using clickers. students respond to questions using clickers. Responses are digitally captured and reported on a Responses are digitally captured and reported on a PC.PC.

General Requirements: General Requirements: Support multiple students (clickers).Support multiple students (clickers). Identify the students.Identify the students. Deal with collisions.Deal with collisions. Address issues like illegal clicks, allowing/disallowing Address issues like illegal clicks, allowing/disallowing

clicks.clicks. Provide initialization support.Provide initialization support. Generalize the system to support several applications. Generalize the system to support several applications.

Where I startedWhere I started

InitiallyInitially How to initialize IrManHow to initialize IrMan How to read from the COM portHow to read from the COM port

Ended up discarding COM port readEnded up discarding COM port read

SolutionSolution

Two parts to my solutionTwo parts to my solution ““Engine” reading from the COM portEngine” reading from the COM port ““Application” getting information from Application” getting information from

the engine and dealing with itthe engine and dealing with it

EngineEngine

Read from COM portRead from COM port Reads occur every 1/5Reads occur every 1/5thth of a second and of a second and

stores in queuestores in queue Empties COM ports dataEmpties COM ports data Stores information one byte at a timeStores information one byte at a time

Removes from the QueueRemoves from the Queue Removes one byte from queue and sends Removes one byte from queue and sends

6 concatenated for comparison (why later)6 concatenated for comparison (why later)

ApplicationApplication

Three parts of applicationThree parts of application Anonymous responseAnonymous response Hand raised queueHand raised queue QuizzingQuizzing

Anonymous responseAnonymous response

Users respond to a questionUsers respond to a question Can answer “Yes” or “No”Can answer “Yes” or “No” Program keeps track of responses Program keeps track of responses

and shows them on screenand shows them on screen

Raise Your handRaise Your hand

Queues up responses in order of Queues up responses in order of received in a list boxreceived in a list box

Can send back one at a time or reset Can send back one at a time or reset all all

QuizzesQuizzes

Opens file with information on a quiz in Opens file with information on a quiz in multiple choice formatmultiple choice format

Outputs users response to a question to a Outputs users response to a question to a file without displaying it on screen (for file without displaying it on screen (for anonymity)anonymity)

When quiz complete outputs scores and When quiz complete outputs scores and percentagespercentages

Quiz files can be opened by notepad or Quiz files can be opened by notepad or within program and printed for hard within program and printed for hard copiescopies

How Does a Remote Send?How Does a Remote Send?

Worked primarily with TV universal Worked primarily with TV universal remotesremotes 6 bytes at a time6 bytes at a time

Individual groups Individual groups Groups of threeGroups of three

Rotating remote codesRotating remote codes For those that insist on holding down the keyFor those that insist on holding down the key

What it looks likeWhat it looks like

ProblemsProblems

Rolling Remote codesRolling Remote codes CollisionsCollisions

IrMan wasn’t really designed for multiple IrMan wasn’t really designed for multiple remotesremotes

Direct line of sight neededDirect line of sight needed Distance is a factor infrared light Distance is a factor infrared light

dispersesdisperses Reflection off of shiny objectsReflection off of shiny objects

CollisionsCollisions

?

How to deal with collisionsHow to deal with collisions

Problem: Remotes are “dumb”Problem: Remotes are “dumb” Can only sendCan only send

SolutionSolution Try to recover as much data as possibleTry to recover as much data as possible Give users feed back whether or not Give users feed back whether or not

they have successfully sentthey have successfully sent

Direct line of SightDirect line of Sight

DistanceDistance

Shiny Objects Shiny Objects (not just a distraction)(not just a distraction)

Program Interaction Program Interaction

DemonstrationDemonstration

Learning and Learning and Development ProcessDevelopment Process

Strategies Strategies

VB book is a MUST VB book is a MUST 20 min of fighting VB or 30 seconds of 20 min of fighting VB or 30 seconds of

looking up a solutionlooking up a solution Ask questionsAsk questions

Colleagues and teachersColleagues and teachers Keep Dr. Pankratz up to date he can helpKeep Dr. Pankratz up to date he can help

Not my strongest pointNot my strongest point Try EVERY combination of EVERYTHINGTry EVERY combination of EVERYTHING

KnowledgeKnowledge

Event ProgrammingEvent Programming VB and my project extremely event VB and my project extremely event

drivendriven Use of timersUse of timers

Operating SystemsOperating Systems Collisions racing conditionsCollisions racing conditions

NetworkingNetworking Error detection/recoveryError detection/recovery

ExceptionsExceptions

Rotating remote codesRotating remote codes Synthesis of three sectionsSynthesis of three sections More automated quizzing processMore automated quizzing process Error detection more like error Error detection more like error

recovery and avoidancerecovery and avoidance Full screen re-sizingFull screen re-sizing

ExtensionsExtensions

ApplicationsApplications Read system in place plug-ins could be Read system in place plug-ins could be

an interesting optionan interesting option Synthesis of applicationsSynthesis of applications More intricate quizzing systemMore intricate quizzing system Infra red remotes that send and Infra red remotes that send and

receivereceive

RecommendationsRecommendations

Keep Dr. Pankratz up to dateKeep Dr. Pankratz up to date See professors when you have a See professors when you have a

problemproblem Get books in your area and keep them Get books in your area and keep them

next to you when you worknext to you when you work Start earlyStart early Plan it out because “patching” just Plan it out because “patching” just

isn’t practicalisn’t practical

Questions?Questions?