Dr Anthony Brand breaks the icy silence in his lectures through the use of low-stakes in-class response tools.
Frustrated by silence when asking questions in lectures?
Silent moments can hinder engagement and make it challenging to spark discussions.
Try this!
Use interactive tools like Slido, Figma, and Padlet to facilitate anonymous or low-stakes responses. These tools help break the silence, encourage participation, and create a more interactive and engaging learning environment.
Addresses these teaching challenges:
- Encouraging student participation in live lectures when students are reluctant to respond vocally
- Making learning more engaging and interactive
Image: Dean Carruthers
Implementation
- Identify key topics or questions you want students to discuss during lectures.
- Use interactive tools like Slido, Figma, and Padlet to facilitate anonymous or low-stakes responses from students.
- Provide clear instructions and guidelines for each activity.
Benefits
- Encourages student participation and engagement in live lectures
- Makes learning more interactive and dynamic
- May be particularly beneficial for students who prefer quieter forms of participation
Teacher’s voice
“Instead of saying, ‘Oh, who remembers X, Y, Z?’ and no one answers because no one wants to answer, you stick a Slido up that asks exactly the same question. Two minutes later, you’ve got all these bubbles, and now I can talk about these.” – Anthony
Accessibility considerations
When using interactive tools, consider the needs of students with disabilities. Ensure that the tools are accessible and provide alternative ways for students to participate, such as text-based responses or audio descriptions.
Try this variation
Faculty: Engineering and Design
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Dr Anthony Brand
Faculty of Engineering and Design