How can I use polling software for teaching?

 What is polling software?

Polling software is a great way to increase classroom engagement as it provides interactive presentations ranging from multiple choice questions to live word clouds. With their personal devices (such as mobiles, tablets etc.), students will be able to answer questions, vote and ask queries, which will appear on the presentation slides. 

What polling software should I use?

Aberystwyth University now has a full subscription to Vevox, an interactive software that allows you to conduct polls, Q&A sessions, and surveys that can be set up in advance or live. Aberystwyth University is fully subscribed to Vevox, and offers full support to staff who use it. 

The E-Learning Group has also found Mentimeter and Poll Everywhere to be especially accessible and reliable:

• Mentimeter is best used for lectures with larger audiences as it has no limit on participants. With Mentimeter you can create: quick slides, questions and quizzes. There is no limit on the number of quick slides, however with the free version you only be able to create two questions and five quizzes.
• Poll Everywhere caps its audience at twenty-five so can best work in seminars and workshops. Poll Everywhere provides much of what Mentimeter does with the benefit of having no limit on the number of questions/activities.

There is a guide to creating presentations with both Mentimeter and Poll Everywhere available on the E-learning webpages.