TurningPoint Case Study

Institute of Continuing Legal Education

BACKGROUND

The Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) is the official provider of continuing legal education for the State Bar of Michigan. The nonprofit was formed as a joint venture by all Michigan law schools and the State Bar of Michigan. Currently the organization provides continuing legal education to lawyers and paralegals all over the state and offers 75 to 80 live courses per year, publishes over 50 practical, how-to books for lawyers and provides a rich database of online practices resources to subscribers of ICLE’s Partnership. ICLE offices are located on the campus of the University of Michigan.

Shel Stark is the Director of Specialty Programs for ICLE and is in responsible for all major institutes and skills training which are often complicated, multi-day courses. He also helped to create three Boot Camps, Litigation, Business and Bankruptcy programs. Due to the large number of participants involved in these programs, any tools to engage audiences are highly sought after by the organization. Interactive technology provides ICLE a strategic advantage over other providers of CLE programs. After first-hand experience with an audience response system during a meeting with the state bar of Michigan, Stark recognized the impact that the technology could have for CLE classes.

THE CHALLENGE

Knowing that response technology could enhance the CLE experience, Stark lobbied for the organization to acquire a system. During the initial investigation, the systems appeared to be outside the allotted budget. After doing a request for proposal of several companies, a response system was selected for an initial trial period. Several problems occurred during the trial and the system was sent back to the manufacturer. The organization reconsidered its choice of provider and conducted additional research.

Turning Technologies' TurningPoint response system was considered due to its affordable price, but quickly became the frontrunner as a result of its additional features. Compared to the previous system, the keypads were small and handy. The former system used large, clunky keypads that proved difficult to transport. The TurningPoint software also provided an advantage over its predecessor by allowing answer choices to remain on screen when results displayed. Often seven or eight answer choices would accompany long, complicated questions, making it a difficult task to remember all selections.

"When I first used the system, I immediately saw the implications for audience engagement, entertaining programming and interesting skill building and learning," said Stark. "The price of the TurningPoint system was the big selling point, but it also offered several advantages over our previous system. We have been quite pleased with our experience."

THE SOLUTION

With the implementation of the TurningPoint response system, ICLE now has a "much better understanding of who is in the audience." During sessions, ICLE speakers can collect a comprehensive view of participant composition. For example, during labor-employment law, presenters can instantly know the various areas of law that are practiced by attendees, from traditional collective bargaining-style to management and employment litigation. According to Stark, "with that kind of information, we are able to design programs to better meet the needs of our registrants."

While demographic questions are often asked, the main focus of the response system is to improve CLE training. Typical classes see a range of 150 - 500 attendees with 50 - 150 in breakout sessions. On average, about 300 participants join each class and look forward to participating with the response keypads. Stark notes that allowing audience members to provide input keeps audiences engaged and attentive to material presented during classes.

"It is clearly an enhancement to the learning process. We can ask the audience questions where the responses serve as a platform from which to launch an intelligent and thoughtful dialogue. For example, in advanced mediator training, we ask how many attendees use a written mediation agreement before they accept an engagement to serve as a mediator. Only 40% said yes, so a person on the faculty explained the value and the advantages of having a written mediation agreement and people were all ears. It's an extremely valuable learning tool," said Stark.

CONCLUSION

In addition to the engagement, learning and data collecting features that TurningPoint provides, Stark notes that the system adds "sizzle to the steak." He encourages all his instructors to incorporate the technology because of the dynamic presentations it creates for participants. In one memorable class about workplace violence, a speaker began by presenting facts about an employee and asking the audience to rank the level of danger on a ten-point scale. Three sets of facts were provided to the audience. After each set of facts, the audience had to rank the danger and adjust for the newly presented information that progressively elevated the level of danger.

After such facts that included "he has no friends at work," "he is an avid gun collector," and "he talks to himself," it was revealed that the description of the employee was that of the shooter in a post office tragedy. The facts were revealed to the audience in the manner in which management had learned the information before the tragedy occurred. Such interesting use of the system provides learning opportunities that Stark describes as "very cool."

ICLE continues to offer TurningPoint to its speakers and regularly uses the system in its live events. Participants enjoy the system and are often impressed to the point that they request to borrow the system for similar presentations. With ICLE training that employs audience response, Stark and his team remain confident in the instruction provided to attorneys in order to better serve their clients.

For more information about purchasing or renting Turning Technologies' audience response systems for your organization, contact us at 866-746-3015.