Engaging students in the Classroom with Live Polling

Introduction

Live polling software refers to systems that allow teachers or presenters to ask various types of questions that students or participants can answer digitally using web-enabled devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets).

Teachers can ask questions on the fly, pre-write them, and deliver them synchronously or asynchronously. Responses can be anonymous or associated with participant IDs.

At the LSE, we use Mentimeter, which enables the creation of questions either through the web or the PowerPoint Add-in.

In large classrooms, where class-wide discussions or Q&A sessions are often challenging, Mentimeter can transform the interaction between teachers and students.

When used creatively, live polling promotes engaging and interactive teaching. In smaller classrooms, it can gamify lessons or allow for quick, on-the-spot opinion surveys.

Benefits of Live Polling

Quick polls break up the monotony of one-way lectures and give teachers a brief pause from speaking.

Anonymity puts students at ease by eliminating the fear of being judged for not understanding something. This allows students to freely express opinions, especially when discussing political or social issues, without the need to reveal their identity.

Teachers can use live polls diagnostically to gauge students' initial knowledge and track their progressive understanding throughout the lesson.

The software also supports the "Socratic" teaching method, enabling teachers to challenge students' preconceptions, adjust lessons based on their responses, and shift the direction of teaching. This flexible approach, also called "agile teaching", enhances learning when students engage and interact with one another.

Additionally, teachers can gather post-session feedback to review their content, pinpoint problem areas, and monitor student progress.

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