Socrative

Socrative

by Socrative

Free

Available for Blackberry, Android, Kindle Fire HD, Windows 8 Mobile OS and iOS mobile platforms

Audience response clicker devices have been shown to encourage student interaction in the lecture, aid academic and student understanding what students have grasped, areas that further development, [1] However, clickers need to be either distributed by the academic at start of lecture, [2] or institution needs to invest in sufficient clickers for every student enrolled on the course and students to bring them to every class, [3-4].

However, in January Chrissi Nerantzi introduced Socrative app to education developers in a workshop at Smart Devices for Learning Sheffield Hallam 2013| MELSIG, opening my eyes to a more practical method of introducing clicker response into the classroom. There are two apps one staff and another for students, also there is a web based versions.

• Staff version enables the academic to create quiz questions you can create Multiple Choice, True/False, and Short Answer questions.
• As from 21^st April 2013 the teacher can upload images (but need to remember students viewing on mobile devices (keep small)) to be used in quiz questions
• As from 21^st April free text answers can be assessed as correct or incorrect against an entered library of possible answers (ideally two or three) that are correct, but note free text is subject to student's spelling ability still.
• Student version enables the students to respond to the questions and view the answers. Note the students should be encouraged prior to class to download the student version of the app to their device.

To use in class the tutor needs to provide to the room number generated by teacher app for their quiz to the students. The quiz can be used in the same way educationally as best practice use of clickers to enhance the student learning and experience, [5].

Yesterday a colleague used the Socratives at the end of lecture to enable the students to assess their understanding of the module subject over the length of the module. During the session we experimented with using the space race display to encourage students to quickly complete the quiz. Also display the bar graph of student responses.

My observational reflections of the quiz:

• Students had sufficient devices collectively laptops, phones and tablets lend to other so everyone had access to the quiz.
• Highlighted weaknesses in student knowledge in one particular area enabled us academics to explain further the need to strength their knowledge in this area.
• The students also particular liked the bar graph plot of student responses, help them appreciate where all their knowledge collectively was strong and where they had weaknesses they were not alone.
• The space race encouraged them to respond quickly, but speed may create errors.

When everyone is responding simultaneously, the app response to moving from submitting the answer to the next question slowed, it is a question of WiFi bandwidth capacity.

The students’ reflections of the exercise:

“[class verbal interaction verse Socrative app class quiz] don’t mind getting it wrong on the computer [app]”

“[don’t mind collective class results being shown in class] If you don’t show your answers, how do you know you got it right”

 

During the class reflection of the app the students highlighted they had used the app before earlier in another module, with another academic, their reflections of the app;

"The students like it as they are able to respond anonymously which saves embarrassment. I get feedback regarding how well the class understands the material"

A cheaper and practical class interaction response solution, however each student needs to own tablet, smart mobile or laptop and the institution WiFI in a class room should have sufficient capacity for short high demands.

Reference

[1] Russell, M. (2007). Blended Learning: Enriching the Class Activity with Technology, Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education, Coimbra, Portugal, September, 2007 Last accessed 11^thApril 2013 at http://icee.usm.edu/icee/conferences/asee2007/papers/985_BLENDED_LEARNING__ENRICHING_THE_CLASS_AC.pdf

[2] Laws, E. M. Motivating Students using In-Class Questions. Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education, Coimbra, Portugal, September, 2007 Last accessed 11^thApril 2013 at http://icee2007.dei.uc.pt/proceedings/papers/153.pdf

[3] Murray, P. B., Rossiter, J. A.,& Panoutsos, G. Promoting the use of clickers across a whole engineering faculty: how, why and is it worth it?. Engineering Education 2012 Conference, Coventry, UK, 18-20 September 2012, Last accessed 11^th April 2013 at http://cede.lboro.ac.uk/ee2012/papers/ee2012_submission_122_gp.pdf

[4] Jefferies, A., Cubric, M., & Russell, M. (2013). Enhancing learning and teaching using electronic voting systems–The development of a framework for an institutional approach for their introduction. Cutting-edge technologies in higher education, 6, 17-45. Last accessed 11^th April 2013 at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/books.htm?chapterid=17077807

[5] Caldwell, J. E. (2007). Clickers in the large classroom: Current research and best-practice tips. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 6(1), 9-20, Last accessed 11^th April 2013 at http://w.lifescied.org/content/6/1/9.full.pdf+html