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Classroom Polling and Gaming Tools

Polling and gaming technologies can significantly enhance student engagement in the classroom and contribute to improved student learning.

Gaming tools such as Kahoot, can be used to create an interactive and competitive learning environment. Interactive polls and discussions can turn passive lectures into collaborative experiences while enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Here are some key advantages to using interactive games, polls, and surveys.

Benefits:

  • Immediate feedback, competitive practices, and classroom monitoring keep students engaged during lectures.
  • Interactive games can be used to reinforce concepts and assess understanding.
  • Dynamic Learning: Polls and discussions break the monotony of traditional lectures.
  • Polls and surveys allow teachers to collect students’ opinions and preferences. By asking questions related to course content, instructors gain insights into what students understand or find challenging.

Polling and Gaming Tools:

EchoPoll

This tool can be used to administer surveys and tests and supports multiple-choice, hotspot, and short-answer questions.  Participants respond via their mobile app’s browser or on a computer. Kish currently has a site license for this tool.

https://echo360.com/echopoll/

Kahoot

This gaming/ polling tool has a limit of 800 synchronous participants for any activity offered with a higher education license.  Participants can be anonymous and may join via computer or smartphone.  Question options include multiple choice questions, Word cloud, and short answers. Kish has acquired 30 higher education licenses for the Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 school year.  The Innovation Teaching and Learning Center will be  scheduling workshops on this new tool starting in August 2024.

https://kahoot.com

Mentimeter

This tool has a Word cloud option for polling as well as the standard multiple-choice question feature and a wide variety of free templates.  Polling questions may be embedded within PowerPoint slide presentations.  There is a limit of 50 participants per month for the free Mentimeter account.

https://www.mentimeter.com/

Padlet

Padlet is a web-based tool for managing questions, comments, and discussions.  It is typically used to allow class participants to post questions, comments, and suggestions.  Posts may be in the form of text entries, links to web pages, and uploaded videos.  Kishwaukee had acquired 30 licenses for faculty use for the Fall of 2024 -Spring 2025 school year.  The Innovation Center for Teaching and Learning will be offering workshops on this new tool starting in August 2024.

https://padlet.com/

Poll Everywhere

This quizzing and polling tool allows participants to respond via the website or by text message.  It has options for Word Cloud, multiple choice, and short answer questions.  The interface is not as colorful as some of the other tools, but the poll and the results may be embedded within a PowerPoint presentation.  There is a limit of 25 participants for the free account.

https://www.polleverywhere.com/

QOMO Clickers

This quizzing and polling tool requires the use of a receiver and handheld clickers which may be obtained from IT.  The polling / quizzing questions are embedded within a PowerPoint and the instructor can assign specific clickers to individual students for quizzing games.  The software required to use the Qomo clickers must be installed on the computer that will be used to create the quizzing questions and the computer that will be used to facilitate the quizzing.

Qomo Clicker Tutorial

Quizziz

A gaming tool that awards points for correct responses and response time.  The free license has a limit of 20 polls/ quizzes per account. The number of participants allowed access per quiz for the free account is 100. This tool has an option to allow students to enter their names or it will randomly generate silly names and avatars for each player.  Participants can customize their avatar’s appearance with hats and clothing color choices. 

Quizziz Tutorial

Socrative

A quizzing and polling tool that is not as colorful as Kahoot or Quizziz; it allows students to race to complete a series of questions.  Participants can respond via a web page or with a smartphone app.  The free account has a limit of 50 students per quiz and will only retain the quiz data for 30 days

Socrative Tutorial

Comparing Polling/ Quizzing Tools
Tool Mobile App Multiple Choice  Word Cloud Short Answer Embed in Web Page Embed in PowerPoint Receiver Required
EchoPoll No Yes No Yes No No No
Kahoot Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No

No

Mentimeter No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Padlet Yes No No Yes Yes No No
Poll Everywhere Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Qomo Clickers No Yes No No No Yes Yes
Quizziz Yes Yes No No No No No
Socrative Yes Yes No No No No No