Enhancing lectures
through electronic
voting systems
Susanne Krauß
DAAD-Lektorin
[email protected]
Canterbury, 26.05.2009
Outline
Definition
 Using EVS in lectures

Teaching method: lecture
 Uses for and pedagogical benefits of
EVS
 Challenges

How I used Turning Point
 Summary and outlook

Definition

Electronic voting system

Example: “Who wants to be a
millionaire?”
EVS – electronic voting system
 GRS – group response system
 ARS – audience response system
 SRS – student response system
 CRS – classroom response system

Using EVS in
lectures
What is your job title?
Answer
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17% 17% 17% 17% 17% 17%
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2.
Administrative staff
Educational
support staff
Management staff
Research staff
Teaching staff
Other
A
1.
Do you give lectures?
o
Answer
Now
50%
N
0
of
50
50%
s
2.
Yes
No
Ye
1.
Name the three most important
aids/tools you need or would like to
have when listening to a lecture.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11%
O
th
er
2.
No aids
Take notes
Visualization (ppt, maps,
charts, …)
Lecturer’s notes afterwards
Notes/material beforehand
A recording of the lecture
afterwards
Oral discussion(s) during
the lecture
Written discussion(s)
afterwards
Answer
Other
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1.
Which aids/tools do you use
in your lecture?
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4.
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3.
14% 14% 14% 14% 14%
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2.
PowerPoint during the
14% 14%
lecture
Notes on OHP
Notes on the Whiteboard
Notes/slides on WebCT or
Moodle
Recordings on WebCT or
Moodle
Material/handbooks
beforehand
Answer
Other
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1.
Are you likely to approach and
adopt new technology with
confidence into your teaching?
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Answer
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4.
ly
3.
tr
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20% 20% 20% 20% 20%
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
S
1.
Teaching Method: lectures
Transmitting knowledge: one to many
 Teacher-centred
 Student: passive role
 Questions:

Learning styles?
 Interactivity?

Teaching Method: lectures

Laurillard’s conversational model:
(Cutts et al. 1)
Uses for and pedagogical
benefits of EVS







assessment
formative feedback on learning
formative feedback to the teacher
peer assessment
community mutual awareness building
experiments using human responses
initiate a discussion
(Draper)
Uses for and pedagogical
benefits of EVS

Advantages
Activation through anonymity
 “digestible” chunks
 “construct meaning rather than merely
memorise facts” (Bates 3)
 Immediate feedback
 Motivational

Challenges



New or amended lecture layout (cf.
Simpson & Oliver 20)
Takes up time from the lecture (cf. Bates et
al. 7; Simpson & Oliver 20)
Question design

“In a good multiple choice question, each
response option would relate to a common
student understanding or misunderstanding
of the material.” (Cutts et al. 3)
How I used Turning
Point
Setting
GE301/516 cultural studies lecture
 Post-A level, mostly 1st year students
 Held in German
 1 contact hour per week
 Lecture slides (without TP questions)
and a movie of the slides with an
audio commentary were available on
WebCT afterwards

Setting

Attendance in
2007/2008
(no EVS)
82% (avg)

Attendance in
2008/2009
(EVS)
73.6% (avg)
“… the instructional design mostly isn’t in the
equipment or software, but in how each
teacher uses it.” (Draper)
Usage
Quick and easy to use
 Does not require prior technological
knowledge on the students’ behalf
 Trial run is nonetheless recommended

Usage

Most often used to test the understanding




Used for surveys and polls



In 13 out of 15 lectures
Min. of 4, max. of 7 questions per lecture
Content: covered material, understanding of
video clips
In 6 lectures
Content: feedback on the lecture style,
asking for students’ opinions etc.
Used for the end of term evaluation
Did you find the integration
of Turning Point useful?
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
Autumn (n = 29;
72.5%)
Spring (n = 22;
55%)
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Summary and
outlook
Summary
Positive experience
 No experience of a “time-loss” due to
the polling
 Designing questions can be
challenging
 Generally, a positive student reaction

Outlook



Pedagogical benefit for the learning process
Checking understanding (esp. with nonnative speakers)
Monitoring students’ approach to learning


Tendency to memorise facts rather than
constructing concepts and establishing
relations
Help to improve note-taking strategies?
Thank you very much
for your attention!