THE USAGE OF POLL EVERYWHERE BY HOWARD

UNIVERSITY FACULTY WHO TOOK POLL EVERYWHERE TRAINING

FROM CETLAAitza M. Haddad Nunez

Linda L. ThompsonHoward University Center for Excellence in Teaching

Overview■Introduction■Study Goal■Specific Aims■Methodology■Data Results■Analysis & Conclusions ■Recommendations

Introduction■Recent data shows an increase in positive attitude from

educators in the adoption of technology to deliver their courses. ■For example, although a 1997 study that randomly surveyed “a

sample of faculty of three historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) revealed that that at the time of the study, email and word processing were the “teaching tools” that respondents use the most and are most comfortable” (Okpala & Okpala, 1997), as of 2009, a study of first year Teaching Fellows in a HBCU showed positive attitudes to technology integration in their education (Bull, 2009).

■Nonetheless, they also found that these still use more technology in social settings than in their course due to lack of effective state and prior knowledge (Bull, 2009).

Introduction■This study presumes that HBCUs would be

specially affected by the integration of technology into the college classroom as a strategy to enhance the active teaching/learning process.

■In this sense, this study aims to collect preliminary data on the usage of PollEverywhere by faculty members at Howard University, a well-known HBCU, that can be used as a basis for further explorations.

Study Goal■Goal of the Study: The collection of base-line data

on the use of PollEverywhere among faculty members of an HBCU.– For purposes of this exploratory study, because

the objective is to conduct baseline data for further investigation, no research questions and hypotheses are listed, but instead, a list specific aims;

Specific Aims■Specific Aim 1: To determine the characteristics of Howard

University faculty who took PollEverywhere training with CETLA.

■Specific Aim 2: To determine PollEverywhere use from Howard University faculty who took PollEverywhere training with CETLA.

■Specific Aim 3: To determine if there is a difference in usage of PollEverywhere between STEM and non-STEM faculty who took PollEverywhere training with CETLA.

■Specific Aim 4: To determine factors hindering PollEverywhere use from fulltime Howard University faculty who took PollEverywhere training with CETLA.

Methodology■Through the collection of both quantitative data and qualitative data,

this mixed study aims to explore the use of PollEverywhere by faculty members at Howard University who took Poll Everywhere training from the Howard University Center for Excellence in Teaching (CETLA).

■With the assistance of CETLA, eligible faculty was identified to receive the IRB approved survey, which was developed with the use of SurveyMonkey. – The survey included a series of multiple choice questions that

captured demographic data, such as age, race, faculty rank, years teaching, gender and department, and specific questions about the knowledge and experience using the software PollEverywhere.

■Once the researcher had all the answered surveys, the researcher proceeded to put the data collected into an excel sheet for analysis.

DATA RESULTS

Participant's Age Group

Participant's Years of Teaching

Participant’s Department

Radiation Therapy

Pharmacy (CAPS)

Occupational Therapy

Microbiology

Law

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Participant's Poll Everywhere Training

Participant's that have use Poll Everywhere

Size of the class where Poll Everywhere was used

PollEverywhere Feature(s) Used

How students use Poll Everywhere

Participant's Use of Poll Everywhere

Participant's Use of Poll Everywhere

Factors Hindering Poll Everywhere Use

Analysis & Conclusions ■ Although training does not automatically guaranteed usage, it can be

said that the training with Howard University CETLA on the use of PollEverywhere during the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 training was successful in making Howard University faculty to incorporate PollEverywhere in the delivery of their courses. – Most participants were between the age groups of 18-25 and 51-60,

followed by the age group of 26-40.– Most have been teaching for 10 years or more, and come from the

Pharmacy (CAPS) Department. ■ In terms of the Poll Everywhere training by Howard University CETLA,

although most participants took the training during the year 2015, a significant amount have adopted the use of PollEverywhere in their courses at least once;– Specially to conduct multiple choice polls, in courses with a high

student population, who mainly use their phone to answer.

Recommendations■The main reason for the nonuse and the limited use of

PollEverywhere, both in times used and in features used, was the need for more information about the use of the software and its features.

■Therefore, because training does not automatically guaranteed usage, this could be interpreted as a need for follow up training sessions, or workshops that could help Howard University faculty to better learn how to use the software, and keep that knowledge up to date.

■In the same way, these follow up training sessions, or workshops could be extended to the student population for students to feel more comfortable with the use of the software through the different platforms and courses that it can be used.