Polling and Voting
Polling and Voting involve asking students to respond to questions, scenarios, or problems to gauge understanding, elicit opinions, or spark discussion. It can range from quick polls to more elaborate voting activities that shape the direction of a class discussion.
How It Works
- Pose a Question: Present a question or scenario, often with multiple-choice or scaled response options.
- Collect Responses: Use tools like clickers, Zoom polls, or colored cards for in-person classes, or chat functions and survey tools for online environments.
- Discuss Results: Display the aggregated results and discuss trends, reasoning, or misconceptions.
Example
In a biology course, the instructor poses a question: “Which factor most influences genetic variation in a population?” Students vote on their answers using PollEverywhere. The class discusses the results, focusing on why certain choices are correct or incorrect.
Why It’s Effective
- Encourages active participation and immediate engagement, even in large or online classes.
- Provides real-time feedback to instructors about student understanding or opinions.
- Promotes critical thinking and reasoning when paired with follow-up discussions.
- Facilitates inclusivity by allowing quieter students to contribute anonymously.
Adaptations
- In-Person Classes:
- Use physical tools like colored cards or hand signals for polling.
- Pair polling with discussion by having students justify their answers with peers before revoting.
- Online Synchronous:
- Use Zoom polls, Canvas quizzes, or tools like Kahoot to collect responses.
- Discuss results in breakout rooms to encourage collaboration.
- Online Asynchronous:
- Create surveys with Google Forms or Canvas quizzes to gather input before a class discussion or activity.
- Use polls on discussion boards to gather opinions or prioritize topics.
- STEM Applications:
- Use polling to test understanding of formulas, concepts, or calculations, with discussion to clarify misconceptions.
- Humanities Applications:
- Ask students to vote on interpretations of a text, moral dilemmas, or historical analyses, using results as a starting point for debates.
- Creative Fields:
- Poll students on design preferences, artistic interpretations, or project ideas to guide collaborative activities or critiques.
Polling and Voting foster interaction, provide valuable insights into student thinking, and create a dynamic learning environment across various disciplines and modalities.
Sources and Attribution
Primary Sources
This section is informed by and adapted from the following sources:
- University of Waterloo, Centre for Teaching Excellence. Active Learning Activities.
- Available at: Waterloo CTE
Use of AI in Section Development
This section was developed using a combination of existing research, expert-informed insights, and AI-assisted drafting. ChatGPT (OpenAI) was used to:
- Synthesize best practices for active learning strategies into a cohesive and accessible guide for instructors.
- Clarify approaches that promote student engagement, participation, and deeper learning.
- Enhance readability and coherence, ensuring that active learning techniques are both research-based and practically applicable in face-to-face and online classrooms.
While AI-assisted drafting provided a structured foundation, all final content was reviewed, revised, and contextualized to ensure accuracy, alignment with research, and pedagogical effectiveness. This section remains grounded in institutional best practices and respects Creative Commons licensing where applicable.
