Center for Teaching and Learning

Online polling can be a great way to keep students critically engaged throughout class. By asking 1-3 questions per class, a professor can keep their students actively involved in the learning process (and prevent their students from tuning out).

Poll questions provide an anonymous way for students to answer questions during class, lowering student anxiety about being judged by their peers about their responses.

Using Echo360 allows a professor to give their students points for coming to class and participating, rewarding their engagement.

Online polling can help instructors assess whether their students are following along with the lecture during class. By asking questions to check for understanding, the instructor can quickly determine if there are any areas that need further explanation or if they can move on to the next topic. Displaying the results of the students’ answers to polls can also spark discussions and provide students with real time feedback on their understanding of course concepts.

Polling gives every student in a classroom a stress-free way to express their understanding with the instructor, which is one reason why using polling has been shown to improve course performance for all student populations while also reducing performance gaps. 

Research has shown that active learning techniques like online polling encourage active processing of concepts and ideas, increasing student retention of information.When students process concepts and ideas through questions, they are more engaged in the learning process. 

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