Student Response Systems
What is it?
Student Response System is an instructional technology used to promote active learning in classrooms by rapidly collecting answers to questions from every student, and if desired, to graphically display a summary of data. This helps instructors as well as peers to engage with each other while interacting with course concepts and complex content. The system allows groups of people to vote on a topic, take a survey or answer various question types. It promotes engagement from the entire class while also reducing anxiety by students who might be more introverted.
Salisbury University has utilized PointSolutions, (formerly known as TurningPoint), applications for student response class activities since 2012. To receive credit for PointSolutions activities, all students must have a PointSolutions Account, a PointSolutions Account Subscription, and a Response Device (a web enabled mobile device OR a physical clicker). Faculty using PointSolutions must also have a PointSolutions account. As of 2022, PointSolutions is part of the EchoEngage EchoSystem.
Summer 2023 Change in Support for Student Response Systems
ID&D is transitioning support for student response systems from a single university primary supported platform to supplemental support for third-party tools. Students will receive support and instructions from their faculty in their MyClasses course for the student response system used in a given course.
We are providing information about various solutions for polling in the classroom to allow faculty to select the platform that best meets their goals of the learning process for their courses. The following comparison chart describes commonly used tools for polling students. Click on the title of the tool to obtain more information in ID&D’s Knowledgebase (SU Login Required).
Comparison Chart
| Features | PointSolutions | iClicker | Kahoot | Mentimeter | Poll Everywhere | nearpod | Top Hat | acadly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Polling (app) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device (Clicker) | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| PowerPoint Add-in | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Anonymous option | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Results display | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes[1] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gamification | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[2] |
| Attendance | Yes | Yes | No[3] | No[4] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated with MyClasses | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Capable of Integration with Canvas | No | No - Embed instead | Yes with license | Yes with license | Yes with license | Yes with license |
Notes:
- [1] With iClicker Enterprise Site License.
- [2] With Zoom Breakout Rooms in Acadly Pro and Acadly Enterprise.
- [3] Can be used to take attendance; however, does not have a special attendance feature.
- [4] Can be used to take attendance; however, does not have a special attendance feature.