In-class Polling

What is In-class Polling?

In-class polling is a particularly effective tool for checking for students’ comprehension of content. Using audience response technology instructors can pose questions to students, and students can respond instantly and anonymously. Audience response systems can be run using clickers or through students’ smartphones. They can also analyze students’ responses immediately and display a breakdown of their responses in the slide presentation.

Boston University’s supported platform for in-class polling is TurningPoint. Students can download TurningPoint’s ResponseWare software to respond to polling questions from their smartphones.

Advantages

In-class polling offers instantaneous insight into students’ comprehension of content. Instructors can redirect their lessons if they find an unexpected area of uncertainty for their students, and avoid further confusion.

Many instructors use audience response systems as a method of checking attendance. It also can be helpful for short quizzes and class participation grades.

Polling allows students to respond to questions without feeling self-conscious of their levels of understanding. This small freedom can increase the accuracy of an instructors’ knowledge of their students’ comprehension.

Success Stories

Pary Fassihi, an instructor of an ESL Writing class, both flipped her class and adopted TurningPoint clickers. Read the story and watch the documentary video about her success with these new practices here.

Cassie Ryan, a lecturer in the School of Public Health, embraced audience response technology in her classes. Watch the interview where she describes her adoption of in-class polling here.