No matter how interesting your topic is, if you teach just by lecturing, you will
lose the attention of most of your students within the first twenty minutes. This
is simply one manifestation of the limits of human's working memory capacity and attention
span. Student response systems (SRS) such as Poll Everywhere, combined withactive learning techniquessuch aspeer instruction,can combat this memory "fade" and are proven to increase student engagement and test
results.
Peer Instruction
Peer Instruction expert Julie Schell defines the what and how of Peer Instruction
developed by Eric Mazur, renowned Physicist at Harvard.
In an articulate and amusing interview, Eric Mazur describes his transition from "sage
on the stage" to developing Peer Instruction.
See theTechniques & Resourcesat the bottom of this page for ConcepTest question sources and guidance on writing
your own.
How to Use Student Response Systems
Asking Questions, discussing with peer(s), & re-polling
Conducting ConcepTests (assessing understanding of concepts in practical applications)
Conducting anonymous opinion surveys
Assessing and activating students prior knowledge of a topic at the start of a lecture
Converting paper/pencil or Cougar Course quizzes to SRS questions. Students receive
immediate feedback and misconceptions can be immediately corrected
Collecting demographics, including major, career goal, and math preparation
Creating SRS questions as a followup to students' group presentations to get feedback
for presenters or review material presented.
Tools in Use at 糖心原创
Poll Everywhereharnesses the power of the web and gives students a legitimate reason to use their
mobile phones and laptops during class. Using the Poll Everywhere app or browser,
you can ask students a multiple choice question or let students respond freely. There
are three ways to respond: through the Poll Everywhere app, using a web browser, or
sending a text message. Polls can be inserted into PowerPoint and responses displayed
live. Responses can be automatically graded and synced into Cougar Courses. Please see our Poll Everywhere help guide for instructors to learn more.