Keeping students engaged with webbased polling in the library instruction session
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abstract
PurposeThis research was performed with the aim of determining the potential benefit(s) of including webbased polling in the library instruction classroom.Design/methodology/approachOver the course of a year, webbased polling was used in library instruction sessions and the survey results were recorded. Feedback forms were also used to gauge a sense of the students' experiences with this form of active learning.FindingsThis study found that webbased polling in a library instruction classroom benefits both students and instructors. The students enjoy these sessions and are more attentive than in a typical lecture, which leads to better learning. Instructors are able to learn about the students' uses of technology, research methods, and more with the polling capability.Research limitations/implicationsThe research in this study was only done using the free version of Poll Everywhere in management classes. It would be interesting to see if the results would be the same in other business classes as well as nonbusiness classes. It could also be beneficial to test the functionality of paid accounts as well as seeing how other web sites compare.Practical implicationsThis article may assist those deciding between different audience response systems and provide tips to those wishing to implement webbased polling, and more specifically Poll Everywhere, in their sessions.Originality/valueFew articles on audience response systems exist solely on webbased polling and the benefits instructors can reap in addition to their students. This research will be of benefit to any librarian who teaches in the classroom, especially those in academic libraries.
