Abstract:

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has been part of university life for over two decades, to the extent that those aimed at the educational world have evolved into Learning and Knowledge Technologies (LKT). Indeed, the high degree of development of these technologies can serve as a driving force to make university education more attractive. Furthermore, EU strategies identify digital transformation as one of the main challenges facing education to train workers and citizens who can efficiently navigate new work and cultural environments.

In this context, Audience Response Systems (ARS) such as Wooclap, Kahoot, or Socrative allow teachers to create real-time questions, surveys, debates, and games to encourage student participation. On one hand, the use of these platforms has been shown to actively engage students in classes, foster collaboration among peers, and enhance comprehension of the content. On the other hand, it has also been evident that the use of ARSs enhances active learning in a distance learning situation with immediate feedback for students. Using ARSs, students demonstrate greater problem-solving abilities, connecting with the content in a more meaningful way. Furthermore, the ability of these tools to promote gamification in learning, through the incorporation of game elements and competition, is highlighted.

This work is based on the use of Wooclap as ARS in the chemical engineering education field taught into 4 different degrees and at master level at the University of València (UV). The election of Wooclap is due to the wide variety of questions it presents, its friendly software, and its integration into the online student platform of the UV (Moodle). Wooclap was employed, mainly, during the classes after the explanation of a determined topic, to test its understanding by students, but also at the end of the class to summarize and check the scholar's comprehension of the class subject. Furthermore, it was also used for the student’s self-evaluation.

In total, 129 students answered a 9-question survey about the use of Wooclap in 7 different subjects related to chemical engineering. The results showed that Wooclap was still unknown at UV (85% never used it before). Despite this, students liked or loved the use of Wooclap in the selected subjects (80%), indicating that its integration was good or excellent (82%) with good timing (62%). As the main advantages this tool offers, students point to the improvement of concept understanding, the increase of their interactions with the professor, the direct application of the explained ideas, and an increase of students’ participation during classes. Finally, they recommend the use of Wooclap in other subjects (90%), especially the more theoretical ones (65%). Therefore, Wooclap proved as a promising tool to stimulate students into active learning.

Acknowledgements:
The authors acknowledge the Universitat de València Vice-Principal for Employment and Training Services for the project TAC(IQ) (UV-SFPIE_PID-2736780).

Keywords:

Higher education, active learning, audience response systems, Wooclap, chemical engineering.