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Polling Platforms for Engaging Students

Polling platforms are powerful tools for fostering engagement, gauging understanding, and collecting feedback in real-time. These platforms can be used in various learning environments, from in-person classrooms to online courses. Below is a curated list of popular polling platforms and their potential use cases in education:

1. Poll Everywhere

  • Overview: Allows you to create live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and surveys that students can respond to via mobile devices or browsers.
  • Key Features:
    • Real-time responses displayed visually.
    • Integrates with presentation tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides.
    • Options for multiple-choice, open-ended questions, and clickable images.
  • Use Case: Engage students in large lectures with interactive polls or gauge understanding during online sessions.

2. Mentimeter

  • Overview: An intuitive polling platform for creating interactive presentations.
  • Key Features:
    • Supports multiple question types (e.g., scales, ranking, word clouds).
    • Audience Q&A and voting features.
    • Customizable templates for visually appealing presentations.
  • Use Case: Collect feedback or conduct brainstorming sessions with visual word clouds.

3. Kahoot

  • Overview: A gamified platform that allows instructors to create quizzes and surveys with a competitive edge.
  • Key Features:
    • Game-based quizzes with leaderboard scoring.
    • Options for team mode and individual play.
    • Engaging visuals and time-based challenges.
  • Use Case: Review course content or energize the class with a fun and interactive quiz.

4. Slido

  • Overview: Designed for Q&A, live polls, and audience interaction during presentations.
  • Key Features:
    • Q&A voting for prioritizing audience questions.
    • Word clouds and live polls.
    • Integration with platforms like Zoom, PowerPoint, and Teams.
  • Use Case: Facilitate interactive Q&A sessions and prioritize student queries in real time.

5. Microsoft Forms

  • Overview: A simple, versatile polling and survey tool integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Key Features:
    • Easy to create and share forms, polls, and quizzes.
    • Integration with Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive.
    • Analytics for response tracking.
  • Use Case: Conduct surveys or quick knowledge checks during or after class.

6. Top Hat

  • Overview: A comprehensive platform designed specifically for education, offering polling, attendance tracking, and quizzes.
  • Key Features:
    • Seamless integration with lecture slides.
    • Attendance tracking using polls.
    • Support for graded and non-graded polls.
  • Use Case: Engage students in active learning and track attendance in large classes.

7. Vevox

  • Overview: A student response and polling platform for real-time engagement.
  • Key Features:
    • Anonymous response options to encourage participation.
    • Polling, Q&A, and quizzes.
    • Reports and analytics on audience responses.
  • Use Case: Promote inclusivity by allowing anonymous responses, especially for sensitive topics.

8. Plickers

  • Overview: A unique polling tool that uses physical cards scanned by the instructor’s device.
  • Key Features:
    • No need for student devices.
    • Instant polling results.
    • Easy setup for classrooms.
  • Use Case: Engage younger students or classes with limited access to technology.

9. Google Forms

  • Overview: A free and user-friendly tool for creating simple polls, quizzes, and surveys.
  • Key Features:
    • Flexible question types (e.g., multiple-choice, short answer).
    • Easy sharing and collaboration.
    • Automatic response analysis with graphs and charts.
  • Use Case: Create quick polls or quizzes that integrate seamlessly with Google Classroom.

 

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The Open Guide to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Copyright © by Philip Smith is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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