Electronic voting analysis & feedback for all
In recent years, electronic voting systems have become widely adopted through HE, as a tool for interactive engagement and feedback, particularly in large group lectures. The uptake has percolated through most academic disciplines, and much expertise has been accumulated in how to utilise them effectively. The widespread introduction of EVS technology and accompanying pedagogy has reinforced the importance of formative feedback as an essential component of the learning process.
This project will develop a web-based system to provide staff and students across different institutions with analysis and visual feedback of data captured using 'clickers' (electronic voting system, EVSs) in their lectures or other teaching eisodes. For students, this will allow them to vew questions with their own responses (and the responses of the class as a whole) well after a given lecture has taken place on a course, for feedback and revision purposes. For staff, the tool will provide anonymised aggregate statistics and feedback as to the effectiveness of the clicker questions used on their courses.
The system will be authored by one of the project applicants (KB), an e-learning developer with several years experience of undertaking major software development projects at the University of Edinburgh. The back end technology will be based on SQL, with Ruby/Rails being used for the front-end web interface. Wherever possible, we will make use of open source and freely-available tools in the development, such as the Google chart APIs for graphical display of voting data.
The project will deliver a web-based tool for staff and students to use to upload and access their EVS responses. It will also promote and disseminate the use of EVS questions with follow-up feedback across different disciplines.
Project Staff
Prof Simon Bates, University of Edinburgh, School of Physics and Astrononmy
0131 650 5280, 0131 650 5902, s.p.bates@ed.ac.uk
Keith Brunton, University of Edinburgh, School of Physics and Astrononmy
0131 650 5287, 0131 650 5902, kbrunton@ph.ed.ac.uk