Project Investigator(s): Roland Stull, Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences; Anthony Di Stefano, PhD Student, Atmospheric Science
Project Description
Clickers have proven to be an effective way to engage students in face-to-face science courses. Our goal is to give online students a similar learning experience. In a flipped online class environment, our new voting app allows student groups to see how their group consensus shifts as they debate online. Since students’ grades depend partially on their group’s responses, they quickly discover the benefit and fun of peer interaction before they vote.
Research Question
Does the voting app actually increase learning and peer interaction?
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
Faculty of Science feels that for future graduates to be successful in the work force, they need to better develop their teamwork and interpersonal skills. For example, the Faculty of Science prevents first-year science students from taking online courses, in order to force more social interaction among students. The results from this project could inform the creation of online courses that can permit, encourage and reward peer interaction. The voting app is generic in that it can be used in any online course with any student group sizes.