Poll Everywhere
Name of Tool | Website URL | Cost | Download or Web-based | 1 sentence description of the tool |
Poll Everywhere | None | Web-based | This tool is an easy to use polling tool for either participation or instructing purposes. |
Description of the Tool
Poll Everywhere is an interactive tool that offers students the opportunity to be directly involved in an open learning discussion. Poll Everywhere is a simple, text message voting application that works soundly for live audiences. People vote by sending text messages (or using Twitter) to options displayed on-screen. The poll that is embedded within the presentation or web page will update results in real time. This makes for a real time, interactive, and multipurpose tech-teaching tool. Poll Everywhere can be tailored for a specific purpose, with a variety of settings options, and purposes ranging from debate gauging polls, to a quick knowledge check.
How to Use This Tool
The first screen one views when opening Poll Everywhere is illustrated below. Click the red “Get started” button, and the user will be prompted to plug in general information. The format is kept simple, with just a request for email address and password, along with a quick question asking how the user became aware of this tool.
Next is the screen below. In the left corner, click the red “Create”, which bring up what is essentially the user dashboard. Any polls you create will be here for editing or easy access in the future. It also provides tabs above for downloading, editing, and saving, or “locking” polls.
After clicking “Create”, a new screen appears which allows you to create a poll. The wonderful thing (or one of many!) is that there are a variety of options. Students learn differently, so not only has Poll Everywhere made sure to offer questions in various forms, it also allows the user to select which preference or style best fits the poll question.
Below are three lines – the first is for your question. You will simply type what you want to ask, then move on to the next two rows. These are both for your answer options; one right, one wrong. After creating the poll question, simply click “Create” in blue located in the bottom right.
After clicking the “Create” button, you’ll see your question, the answers to which will be updated in real time as join in and respond to the poll. Readers of the poll will be promoted to reply to the questions by simply texting A or B to the number provided, or they can respond from a computer or Twitter. To the right, there are drop down boxes with additional information on how people can respond, audience involvement, responses settings, and presenting.
How Can This Tool be Used by the Trainer/Teacher?
As an instructor, this tool can be used in numerous ways. As an Office Manager, I have used Poll Everywhere this when training new hires at work. When I feel the training is getting monotonous or redundant, I used Poll Everywhere as a “quick check” to gain insight into several areas. Was what I was teaching and training effective? Was the information being retained by trainees? Had we covered what was needed, and is the trainee able to move forward. This is a tool that is just as beneficial for instructors or teachers as it is for students. It can also be used as a feedback tool for areas to improve, or areas that are doing well.
How Can This Tool be Used by the Trainer/Teacher to Support Student Learning?
A significant factor which makes polling so beneficial in supporting student learning is in the way it provides anonymity and a comfortable atmosphere. The answers to questions allow the instructor to comfortably move on to the intended discussion topics or to take a few minutes to clarify or explain anything that students do not yet understand. It eliminates the testing anxiety or pressure many struggle with by being “put on the spot” during a pop quiz situation. Polling can provide great insight on the diverse learning style of the student body, and use those insights to create lesson plans for the future. Polling can be used to create and foster an environment of student centered learning.
How Can This Tool be Used by Students?
As stated previously, this tool can be used countless ways for both students and instructors. Two I have found to be specifically geared towards students are utilizing this tool for presenting and studying. Poll Everywhere can be used when giving a speech, discussing a statistical project, or working in a group presentation. Most presentations require an activity or engagement tool – what better way to engage your audience that to utilize a polling system that makes them be active listeners and encourage them to apply what they have learned? Students and learners can also use this solo, or with a study group to create practice questions and review information. With its simple access and input method, and quick response time for answers, it creates the option of studying and reviewing large amount of information easily. This also provides any information in a web-based product that is easily accessible from a variety of devices.
Training and Other Resources
I decided to use Screen-Cast-o-Matic to create a mini tutorial showing what exactly Poll Everywhere looks like when the user is logged in. As I would be presenting, I showed how to log in, various settings and areas of information, how to create a poll, ways to respond or take part n the poll, and export options.
Also, the link to Poll Everywhere is: https://www.polleverywhere.com/signup?arlt=signupbutton&usrc=signup_button
They have a wonderful “Getting Started” portion that discusses everything from kinds of polls, to enhancing and activating your poll choice. It is thorough, specific, and a very clear resource for any questions on how to get started and use this instructional tool.
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