The benefits of using visual polls. Let's see a show of hands...
Nov
4
Written by:
11/4/2009
As a presenter or trainer you probably ask your audience to vote at least once in a session:
- To check on previous knowledge
- To gauge opinions or compare experiences
- To find out if your key points have been understood
By engaging and listening to your audience you are more likely to create an environment that is conducive to learning. Can polls be used to achieve the same result when people tune into an online course or presentation?
A visual polling tool (like vizVote) allows you to create a poll in under 60 seconds and embed it directly into your presentation or online course. A poll simply consists of a topic and a series of alternative options. When a visitor casts their vote it is recorded automatically in an online database. Once the visitor has voted a summary of all votes is shown graphically. This simple tool can be used to great effect. For example...
Scenario A - I'm developing an online course for hobbyists about how to take better photographs. I have created a poll designed to assess how much experience users have with digital cameras. This poll will serve a number of purposes:
- To help me identify whether the content is pitched at the right level
- To help users benchmark their own experience in comparison to other users
- To help signpost learners to the most appropriate content (based upon their experience)
Scenario B - I'm producing an online learning episode for office staff about the importance of good posture when using computers. Observations have shown that x% of staff have poorly adjusted seating positions despite previous training. I want to use a poll to highlight the extent of the problem and create a talking point.
Scenario C - In the online environment it is becoming increasingly common for learners to collaborate using instant messaging, forums, wikis and blogs. By allowing anyone to canvas opinions, polls can add a new dimension to social learning. In preparing a piece of coursework, a student might research popular opinion and consider the implication of the results for policy makers.
Online learning has a unique potential to offer learners a more personalised experience. Polls are a simple but effective tool for engaging your audience and giving both you and them a unique insight into what people are thinking.