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Tips for polling

Here are some ideas of how to implement polling in your teaching:

Vary the question type based on the purpose of the activity
Utilise word clouds as a visual tool to start a class discussion
Plan discussion time to respond to polling responses. You may need to adapt your lesson based on the results collected
Summarise classwide discussions and explain the correct answer afterward
Encourage students to discuss answers with each other

Plan your grading system in advance. Make sure it aligns with your unit learning outcomes
Give students the chance to get familiar with the polling tool before using it as an assessment tool
Make scores accessible on a regular basis to reduce student anxiety
Check with colleagues if a library of poll questions exists. If not, consider building a shared library of poll questions
Be willing to throw out or regrade a question that contains an error or is unclear

Be aware that your first use of in-class polling will require time to prepare good questions
Know why you are using in-class polling, and keep this in mind while writing questions
Choose a polling tool that has the required functionality and one that you are confident with
Set up the system before class and practise
Use the same polling tool throughout your teaching so that students become familiar with the technology
Explain to students why you are using the system and what you expect students to gain from the experience
Spend some time training students to use in-class polling
Keep a positive attitude, and be willing to make a few mistakes as you learn