September 1, 2018 (Vol. 38, No. 15)
Rating:
Strong Points: Simple interface, easy to use
Weak Points: Cannot create polls within the app
Platform:
iPad/iPhone
Cost:
Free
Summary:
The education literature tells us that student learning is improved when professors incorporate “active learning” into their lectures. In other words, students should be active participants in class rather than passive observers. Poll Everywhere is a great (and importantly, free) tool for educators that allows them to easily incorporate interactive questions into their lectures. Students can respond to the posed questions by text message, via the Poll Everywhere website, or—conveniently enough—via the Poll Everywhere mobile app. Very simply, app users enter the name of their professor’s Poll Everywhere presentation. Then, as the professor displays polling questions, the questions automatically appear within the app, and the students can immediately respond. Depending on the poll administrator’s settings, the poll responses can be instantaneously displayed for the room (or just the professor) to see. No doubt the Poll Everywhere app can prove to be a handy addition to classrooms, meeting rooms, and lab meetings alike.
