2 Polling Tools Every Educator Needs

In the evolving world of digital classroom tools, polling is a tool that is utilized by different academic levels, universities and across disciplines. There are a plethora of polling tools but it is important to utilize them effectively to achieve optimal student engagement and efficiency. The problem with having so many choices available presents a problem for new educators, of not knowing which ones to use and being overwhelmed by the choices. Many of the polling tools offer features which are similar to each other  however two highlighted in this article will focus on what makes them efficient for different purposes.

In the context of 2U-powered programs, the two spaces where we engage our students are synchronously during live sessions and asynchronously throughout the week in the digital campus. The two polling tools discussed in this article should cover all of your presentation and student engagement needs throughout your digital education career.

Slido

Slido is an excellent polling tool best utilized in synchronous classrooms. Setting it up is easy and can be done in advance. There are a multitude of questions, as well as templates which are available. Slido also allows presenters to integrate their poll right into Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides. 

Running the polls can also be done through participant computers or through a QR code through participant phones. When launched, Slido gives you an “admin view” that allows you to control the pace and keeps track of results. You can also use this to pull the analytics from one “event” which can contain multiple polls. Slido is best used synchronously for large classes or webinar style presentations. Since Slido is a versatile tool, it reaches across academic disciplines to support educators in a multitude of settings.

Below are some examples of templates that are available on Slido:

Google Forms

Google forms are easily accessible and already exist in your google drive account. Many educators are already familiar with Google Forms, and it is a great tool for asynchronous data collection, assisting with project setups, anonymous feedback and more. The types of questions that can be asked are fairly standard and has been listed below:

Since this is a Google product, no signup is necessary and can be accessed through your Google drive to create a new form. The settings on this are also simple to change on things such as anonymity, whether you want to make it a quiz and how to view responses.

This Form is also something that you can leave open and come back to as results pour in over a period of time. It is an intuitive tool and should be in the rotation for all faculty members.

With these tools, you can take your polling activities to the next level!