Abstract:

Electronic voting systems, also known as Audience Response Systems, or clickers, which directly introduce dialogue and interactivity between teacher and student, have been used successfully within the context of the university classroom for the last decade. Quite a few mobile voting tools (Socrative, PollEverywhere, Xorro-Q, Mentimeter, MbClick, The SMART Response interactive response system, etc.) are currently available. Many researchers have analyzed the best pedagogical practices for using these tools: they allow for anonymous participation and add a game approach to the classroom environment; peer evaluation mediated by polling tools provides honest, constructive feedback and promotes more engaged class discussion, they can promote deep learning when teaching and questioning strategies center on higher-level thinking skills; increase student engagement providing prompt feedback and help design formative assessment activities.

The objective of the international research study Enhancing Technology Awareness and Usage of m-Learning in Russia and Norway was to evaluate the pedagogical impact of a mobile voting tool Student Response System (SRS) on creating a collaborative environment for university lecture courses. The analysis was based on quantitative data (test score) collected from two student groups (56 students) of Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia). As part of a comparative experimental study, this research quantitatively compares student’s test scores across two student groups. This data was combined with that from a qualitative attitudinal student survey. Research indicates that an SRS supported approach influenced important aspects of lecture design such as time management, the mode of material presentation and activity switch patterns. In addition, the SRS was also found to impact on learner-teacher interactions, student collaboration and output, and formats of activities and tasks. The framework of the SRS supported lectures can help instructors gradually get the grasp of a new type of digital classroom - flipped classroom, and then, in the long run, MOOC lecturing.

Keywords:

m-learning, mobile voting tools, collaboration environment, immediate feedback, formative assessment.