Understanding Students with Technology

Teachers need to hear from their students in order to do their jobs well. In the process of understanding students, it is essential for them to find out exactly what students are thinking, what questions they might have, and what their needs are. Student feedback also helps guide teachers with their instruction. Thankfully, there are many ways to ask questions and myriad methods of gathering information from students today. It’s no longer necessary to even be in the same room to do so. The ways in which communication occurs, conversations take place, and questions are asked and answered in our world have been completely revolutionized by technology, and both teachers and students can use this to their advantage. 

For example, technology can give a voice to those students who become nervous at the thought of responding in front of the class. You know the signs–the diverted eyes, the unmistakable “please don’t call on me” expression, the way their desktop or shoe becomes suddenly fascinating. Everyone gets nervous sometimes, and most people dislike being put on the spot. Regardless of whether this happens due to a student’s hesitancy of speaking in front of others or a fear of not knowing the right answer, the gist of it is that it can be difficult to get students to speak up, but this is essential for understanding students. 

There are, however, digital options available which can provide comfort and boost confidence for students. One way to get students to speak up is by using a digital tool available for promoting communication and collaboration. There are many different options, depending on the type of question being asked, the feedback being sought, or whatever it is that you want the students to share. If you want students to respond to some simple questions such as a short answer, true/false, or engage in a short discussion, then there are many tools available. Each of the following websites provides quick ways for teachers and students to exchange ideas and communicate.

SurveyMonkey—create surveys using a variety of question formats, which can be a good way to create a short assessment or to have students reflect on their progress and have data instantly.

Responster–another tool to create surveys with question formats including a rating scale, thumbs-up/thumbs-down questions, short responses and more. Results are provided live and in a visual format. 

Socrative—quickly assess students and ask questions on the fly, or play games to review the material.  Easy to use and understand where the students are in their learning. 

Gosoapbox—create a digital space for polling, creating quizzes, having a discussion and also enabling students to ask questions. Students can interact anonymously and allow the teacher to see the responses. 

Quizizz—a game-based learning tool to quiz students and increase student engagement, while providing the data needed to give feedback and plan instruction.

Kahoot!–another game-based learning tool for students to practice skills in a fun learning experience. You can use it for discussions as well as surveys. 

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services