Summary
The use of polling software in higher education settings is becoming more and more ubiquitous, largely due to the diverse array of settings it can be applied in. (Examples of such software are Vevox or Socrative). Being able to utilise software that encourages the whole classroom or lecture hall to engage can be an effective way for staff members to gauge progress and participation. But also, students are able to take part in an enjoyable and creative exercise that diverts from the traditional didactic teaching method. Furthermore, it is an inclusive approach that allows students who are less willing to e.g. putting their hand up, to participate, generally in an anonymous fashion.
One example is to use it as an icebreaker exercise when starting a course, year or module. This can be laced with humorous questions that are capable of producing word clouds which are a useful medium for discussion. It can also help the teacher comprehend the existing knowledge within the class before they embark on the module content.
Another way of using this technology is as a form of assessment. This can be used to contribute a small percentage to the final mark of a module. During group or individual presentations, you can use a polling software and invite the rest of the students to give ongoing, live feedback to the student(s) presenting. This is on a numbered scale for various factors of the presentation. The result can be an average mark created by the students watching. This encourages the students to engage with the presentations being given, as a portion of their grade depends on the participation of this exercise.
Theory
This is a useful, inclusive medium to encourage a class or cohort to engage with an interactive exercise for various circumstances. It intends to add another dimension to a classroom and utilise the available technology that exists in all our pockets. Using phones in a classroom for this purpose ensures that students aren’t using them as a procrastination measure. In short, polling software such as Vevox collects the votes and shows the tutor a summary, which they can share with the students. The tutor gains useful feedback on any areas of difficulty so that they can either adapt their teaching to deal with those areas or move on swiftly if the students have firmly grasped the topic.
Measurable Benefits
- Insight into student understanding and knowledge of a given topic.
- Students are able to enjoy an interactive activity within the classroom that displays their aggregated responses to certain questions.
- Can be useful to help transition a new cohort or class by using it as an icebreaker exercise.
- Inclusive of all students, particularly important for those generally less willing to participate through speaking in front of a (large) group.
How It Works
- Contact the department/IT services if required to ensure/set up an account that allows you to organise and dictate certain questions.
- Prepare questions/polls/quizzes as required.
- In class, get all the students to download the free app (Vevox/Socrative) or participate via the web-based service.
- Give them the code to enter the poll session.
- Let them all answer the questions you’ve designed and discuss the results as a class.
Practical Example
Individual Perspective
I have found the approach to be very helpful for increasing student engagement, accessibility and to break up the sessions where attention spans may be getting stretched.
Supporting Example: Dr Bo Kelestyn
This video is part of a recorded interview between Dr Bo Kelestyn, the pedagogy leader, and Zoe Nobileau, one of the project officers. This conversation contains the a full description of the pedagogy, it's objectives and the potential benefits.