Design and implementation of a low-cost classroom response system for a future classroom in the developing world

Economic considerations and lack of adequate infrastructure impose unique design constraints on future classrooms of the developing world. Thus, future classrooms in underprivileged nations may differ significantly from their counterparts in the developed world. Classroom response systems (CRS) are an emerging technology for the future classroom. CRS are wireless, hand-held devices that help students provide immediate feedback to questions posed by a teacher. In their present form, due to their relatively high cost and high infrastructural requirements, such systems are not sustainable in most developing countries. This paper presents the design and implementation of a CRS based on an open-source, low-cost, and easily manufactured hardware. The CRS design is based on a hybrid wireless/wired platform using Bluetooth with the 1-Wire networking technology. This design significantly reduces the cost, and is consistent with existing conditions in a typical developing country.