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Polls
What is it? 
A poll is a survey of a population that is generally used to determine opinion.
Polls
What are the educational uses and benefits?
Assessment
- Determines understanding of a subject.
- Can be structured as assessment questions to determine if a class has the grasp of a specific piece of information.
- Determines attitudes of learners about a topic.
Class Environment
- Polls can be used as an icebreaker to start discussion on a topic.
- Polls can assure the anonymity of those who might not otherwise participate in class activities.
Polls
How do I get started?
Polling with Free Online Programs
- Free online polling programs will require a username and password.
- When you login to your online polling program click on create/edit polls.
- Click on a poll to edit it or click on “new poll” to create a new poll.
- Give your poll a name and description.
- Once your poll is created you can add questions to the poll.
- When you are finished adding questions publish the poll. Most polling sites will host the poll on the internet. Some sites will also give you code so that you can embed your poll inside of your webpage.
Polling in E-Learning at UF (Formerly WebCT)
- To create a poll in E-Learning at UF (Formerly WebCT) go to the “Build” section of your template.
- Navigate to the page on which you wish to add a poll. For example, the home page.
- Click on “Assessments” and give your Poll a name.
- Click on the “Survey” radio button in order to create a online evaluation or survey for which no grades are assigned and then click save.
- Click on the survey to add questions. Use the “Create Questions” manager to create your questions.
- When you have finished adding questions click on “set release criteria” to pick a time frame during which students can take the poll.
Polling using Clickers
- The Turningpoint software, which is the software to run the Clickers, is installed on all UF classroom computers. However, instructors will also need a copy of the TurningPoint software on their office computers. There is a limited user version available for free download.
- The instructor builds his or her PowerPoint slides with the TurningPoint software in order to include poll or quiz questions.
- Each student in the class has a wireless clicker that they use to respond to poll or quiz questions when prompted. Many University of Florida bookstores carry the Turningpoint Clickers.
- TurningPoint displays results anonymously or based on individual student identifiers.
- For more information on using Clickers in the classroom the CITT offers the following seminars:
Polls
Where can I learn more?
- Classroom Opinion Poll PDF: A PDF document outlining when to use classroom opinion polls, procedures, and adaptations.
- Free Online Polls: A free program to create polls and house polls on the Internet.
- Free Web Polls: A free program to create polls for your Web site.
- The Web Poll Tool: Information on creating web polls and on web polls as a learning activity.
- Wikipedia - Opinion Poll: A detailed explanation of opinion polls and links to other types of polls.
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