Keeping Students Engaged with Web-Based Polling in the Library Instruction Session

Abstract

This research was performed with the goal of determining the potential benefit(s) of including web-based polling in the library instruction classroom. Over the course of a year, web-based 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. This study found that web-based 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. This article may assist those deciding between different audience response systems and provide tips to those wishing to implement web-based polling, and more specifically Poll Everywhere, in their sessions.