Subjects
The initial classroom intervention engaged ten students. In November 2024, I followed up and by scaling the project and partnering with an academic, I was able to significantly increase participant numbers reaching twenty-six students.
Peer Feedback :Insights and Intervention
During an ARP tutorial on 8th November 2024, I presented my Slido implementation experience among the peers, and discussed concerns about the sequential data collection methods (Slido application with slides in classroom and Qualtrics based on slido questionnaire). I presented Slido slides containing questions about student confidence levels (image 1,2 and 3), alongside some preliminary Qualtrics data among the peer group (image 4, Figure 1 &2). Ten students participated in the first poll, and the results were somewhat mixed. Half of the students 50% reported feeling confident in their coding abilities, 10% strongly disagreed and only 40% disagreed, (image 1). These findings suggest that while some students felt comfortable with coding, others were struggling. Moving onto the second emoji-rating poll (image 2) regarding confidence on matrix task -which was a more difficult, there was a relatively low number of responses as only 4 students voted. Feeding this into my teaching practice , it makes me think that probably the difficulty of the task had a negative impact on students’ confidence which reflects on emojis. Despite the small sample size, the data suggests that a majority of students (50%) felt strongly confident. Another 25% agreed with this sentiment, while the remaining 25% were neutral. While these results are encouraging, it is important to note that the small sample size may not be fully representative of the entire class. This made me consider , the proposal of the supervisor to test the intervention within an academic’s classroom. In such case I will need to gather more data to get a clearer picture of overall student sentiment.
In peer group of ARP, I also expressed concerns about my data collection methods, including the slido and the questionnaire as both were part of my intervention. Seeking advice, it was suggested from peers and agreed upon to identify Slido as a tool and the questionnaire as evaluation, aligning with action research principles(McNiff & Whitehead, 2009).
Image 1. Students (N=10) rate their confidence using emojis on first poll in classroom.
Image 2. Students rate on confidence using emojis on the second poll in classroom.
I also presented the overall engagement of students in peer group of ARP, and explained that fifty percent of students used Slido to interact in some way (image 3). In fact I presented the table displaying the feature Question and answers(Q&A), with 12 questions, demonstrating a willingness to engage in open dialogue. The poll participation (with open text and emojis features) indicates a higher score of 31% of students vs. the 27% on Q&A. Fourteen (14) students participated in polls, indicating a strong student interest in voicing their opinions and participating in discussions through open text and emojis method.
Image 3: Slido Overview on Q&A and Poll Insights presented to peer group of ARP.
Slido’s Q&A word cloud (Image 4) is another feature of Slido, gaining insights into the most frequently words used by students. This visual representation provides a fascinating glimpse into their thought processes and areas of interest where the majority of students’ questions focused. Reading the word cloud to students in classroom, I was able to identify recurring topics that emerged from the students’ questions and provided space for dialogue with them. These questions raised and written by students on image 4 set up space for me replying and informing students fast . For example, I was able to spot a common concern about the software’s purple color. By addressing this issue directly during the lecture, I ensured that everyone was on the same page. This real-time interaction not only resolved the problem but also demonstrated the power of technology to facilitate immediate feedback and support.
One of my peer groups even commented on how impressed they were with the data collected through Slido (Image 3). My supervisor suggested exploring the concept of metacognition (Muijs and Bokhove, 2020), as students can observe their own thinking processes and reflect on their questions. I think that this was a very valuable insight as could help me monitor how students become effective learners and also they can acknowledge what they learn and if changes needed to meet up the learning.
Overall, Slido’s Q&A feature provided a dynamic and engaging way when I tested in classroom as it did foster student participation and deepen understanding.
Image 4. What’s on Students’ Minds?A Word Cloud Reveal.
A total of 11 questions were submitted. Students’ active participation is always encouraging. By digging deeper into their questions when I re read it, it enables me to gain valuable insights into areas where students have specific interests of learning. The most popular response is highlighted in green (image 5), and it seems to indicate that students were particularly interested in a specific task in classroom called matrix (green response). This serves as an excellent starting point for future discussions on the topic. Felt that Slido truly transformed the classroom into an interactive space as students reflected using open text. It encouraged students to become active participants, sparking curiosity as they observed, reflected, and raised questions about anything that puzzled or intrigued them. Students asked insightful questions, ranging from requests for detailed step-by-step explanations to inquiries about specific terminology. This aligns with Nelson and Narend’s (1996), cited in Muijs and Bokhove, 2020) concept of memorization of knowledge, which involves students actively monitoring their own learning and employing strategies to retrieve information from memory.
Image 5. Students Speak Out: Open-Ended Reflections
Image 6. Students Responses and my responses
Slido Intervention tested in an academic’s classroom
To enhance rigor and generalizability of intervention, I collaborated with an academic to implement Slido in his classroom. We coordinated in-person meetings and via email (image 7 and 8).
Here is a sample of my email communication with the academic on 13th of November 2024.
Image 7: Email communication with an academic.
On November 13th I received a message from the academic via Microsoft Teams. In the message, he informed me that he was experiencing technical difficulties with Slido, a digital polling and Q&A tool. He indicated that he planned to contact IT support the following day to address the issue.
Additionally, he mentioned that he was scheduled to test Slido with a group of Year 3 Psychology students on the 15th of November. He suggested that I join this session to discuss Slido with the students and potentially offer assistance.
Following the consultation from the peer ARP group , I arranged to meet the lecturer on 15 th of November. On November 15th, I met with the lecturer. He confirmed the ongoing IT difficulties with Slido, including the inability to download it to his laptop. As the morning lecture approached without an IT resolution, we switched to my UAL university laptop.
Image 8. Exchanging the Slido QR code with the academic.
We successfully integrated Slido into the lecture slides (Images 9 and 10). Prior to the session, the lecturer debriefed students and then I de briefed students about Slido, its purpose, and the voluntary nature of participation. I distributed the consent form and information sheet, and remained in the classroom to collect them.
Image 9.Students Speak Up: Open Text Feature Reveals All!
Image 10. Students Speak Up: Open Text Feature Reveals All!
During the lecture, students actively engaged with the Slido intervention, using their mobile devices to respond to the prompts displayed on the screen. The lecturer read and reviewed the students’ responses on the slido board. Additionally , to provide the students with immediate feedback on their collective input, I shared the results of Slido word cloud analysis which was generated based on their participation in the classroom intervention(Image 11 and 12).
Image 11. Student -generated Word Cloud.
Image 12. Interactive Word Cloud of Classroom responses.
To provide further clarity I shared a bar chart with the students, visualizing the quantitative data from questionnaire extracted from Qualtrics. This chart displayed the frequency of responses to the question regarding their overall experience with Slido in classroom as a mean of communication. The results indicated that a significant majority of students (N=17) rated their experience as ‘Good,’ while a single student (N=1) responded ‘Unsure’ (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Student Perceptions of Slido as a Communication Tool.
To provide a more comprehensive overview of the students’ experiences, I presented additional visualizations in the form of bar graphs. I presented bar charts illustrating the overall ratings for Q&A, open text, and emojis. Students were able to view that the majority around ten in total preferred using emojis to express their thoughts and opinions. Eight students opted for the Q&A feature, while another eight chose to use open text responses (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Students’ ratings on Slido’s favourite Q&A, Open text and Emojis features.
Informing students and sharing the visual results in classroom with them it fostered a space for reflection and dialogue. Students expressed that the interaction was fast paced as they read fast each other’s replies which helped them to share understanding. This aligns with metacognitive knowledge (Muijs & Bokhove, 2020), specifically procedural knowledge because students were able to quickly review information from their peers (Dent and Koenka, 2015 cited in Muijs and Bokhove, 2020).
The Slido activity provided a platform for students to engage in metacognitive processes. By sharing their thoughts and reading their peers’ responses, students actively monitor their own understanding and compare it to the ideas of their peers which enables them to find inspiration in the collective thinking. This rapid exchange of ideas in classroom fosters a sense of community and encourages students to think critically and creatively.
The anonymous nature of Slido platform also allows students to express their ideas without hesitation and this can stimulate metacognitive thinking. By engaging in these metacognitive processes students can be able to deepen their understanding, enhance problem-solving skills and become more effective learners.
After using slido in classroom, the lecturer sent an email (Figure 3).
Figure 3. When Tech Meets Teaching, A Slido Moment.
Reflecting on the ARP tutorial and my professional engagement with the academic, I gained valuable insights into the nuances of problem-solving particularly in last-minute scenarios. The academic’s initial struggle with installing Slido on his personal laptop reflects the importance of active listening and adaptability. I offered technical support which contributed to the smooth delivery of the intervention. Lastly, I feel that I contributed significantly to the successful implementation of the Slido intervention using visualisation to present this to students. This experience provides me with the key takeaway of the power of collaboration and the potential for learning from colleagues with diverse experiences and expertise.
By working closely with the academic, I was able to leverage my technical skills to overcome obstacles and ensure the smooth execution of the intervention. Moreover, this experience fosters a deep understanding of the challenges faced in classroom by academics in integrating technology into teaching practice. It is also an insight into what I learned from the students’ observation in classroom as findings will present in the next section. Through this collaborative effort I was able to develop my problem-solving ability, enhance technical skills and enrich interpersonal skills.
I am confident that these skills will be invaluable as I continue to pursue learning goals and career development skills as an academic technician.
References
Muijs, D. and Bokhove, C. (2020) ‘Metacognition and Self- Regulation: Evidence Review’. London: Education Endowment Foundation. Available from: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk /evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/ metacognition-and-self-regulation-review.