Using an electronic voting system to enhance learning and teaching

Abstract Growing student numbers are eroding the potential for teachers and learners to communicate and engage in a meaningful learning conversation. This paper will show how assessment and teaching can be integrated, in-class, using an Electronic Voting System (EVS). The motivation is to reduce the erosion and enhance the teaching and learning in large class settings. In this case a series of regular EVS-supported formative tests were used. The students’ performance on the EVS tests was used immediately to help diagnose the learning and also provide intelligence on which to make purposive teaching adaptations. In addition to exploring the use of EVS the paper also presents the benefits of coupling questions around themes. In doing so the students’ real understanding might be better explored. A review of the results from the coupled questions suggests many students still struggle with some fundamental concepts. This information is not so apparent with traditional one-off questions. The results from the coupled questions also highlighted contradictions in the students’ own answers.

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