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Classroom Polling Systems
What is a polling system? Think "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" asking the audience to vote. Now move it into the classroom and each student has a direct line of communication with you, the instructor.
The TLTC is in the process of assisting colleges and departments with the upgrade or installation of TurningTechnologies TurningPoint polling system. With a polling system, professors can collect input (usually multiple choice answers) to questions. The system collects the inputs from students using miniature keypads that signal the classroom's computer. Each keypad has a unique number that is associated with a specific student. The computer then collects the inputs, records the individual answers for later analysis, and (optionally) displays the aggregate answers for the class.
The system is easy to integrate into existing PowerPoint presentations. The system will parse a quiz written in Word and generate the appropriate slides in PowerPoint. You can then drag those slides into an existing PowerPoint presentation. The software can also read Excel spreadsheets of the class roster for quick setup and will write the TurningPoint grade bookinto an Excel-friendly format once you have finished the class session.
Both students and professors benefit from using the system, especially in larger classes. Imagine gaining input from 200 or more students at once, rather than listening to the same handful of students and seeing heads bob from the rest. During a lecture, you can ask questions before and after a section of lecture to gain immediate assessment of their comprehension. If a majority of the students have missed an important topic, you can remedy the situation immediately, rather than getting a surprise at test time.
Since the system records responses throughout the class and semester, you have a ready-made record of attendance, participation, and comprehension for each student over the semester. Since you are asking questions throughout the lecture and the students know they are creating a track record, most students tend to pay closer attention. As students and instructors adapt to the system, the increased comprehension will result in higher grades. Some professors have seen the class average increase by 15%!
The last benefit is the opportunity to bring active learning into your classroom, even with very large classes. By carefully choosing questions that require analysis, discussion between groups of students, or learning games, you can engage the students in ways that were simply not available before.
More information on TurningPoint:
For polling systems consultations or technical support, please contact .