How technology and in-class polling can enhance student participation

In-class polling is just one of many ways that technology can facilitate better classroom discussion among students, writes James Lang. The author recounts how he incorporated digital polling into his classroom using students’ mobile devices. While the polling did not generate complex answers to questions, it did produce sufficiently interesting responses to make in-class participation much more equitable. “The nature of the poll questions required them to keep their initial answers brief, but the in-class discussion encouraged an expansion of their thinking,” writes Lang, who adds that “instead of the same three or four students dominating the debate, lots of them raised their hand in order to explain their poll answer.” Lang offers further tips on how to use technology to facilitate classroom participation. Chronicle of Higher Education