Connecting learning environments using electronic voting systems

Abstract

Many educational theories depend on learning as a process of dialogue between teacher and learner. Traditional university methods such as lectures and tutorials do not facilitate dialogue since students are unable or unwilling to speak out. The use of an electronic voting system in lectures, where all students can respond to questions set by the lecturer with the aggregated results displayed to the class, aims to alleviate barriers to dialogue in lectures and so improve learning. A recent study, by the authors, of a three-year use of a voting system in introductory programming lectures has shown that response rates by students are lower than expected. This paper outlines the educational purp..