Using Mobile Devices with Socrative Replaces "Clickers"

Socrative (www.socrative.com) is a free website for assessments that can be given via computer or with mobile devices.   

How does it work?

Sign-up is easy and free.  Below is a picture of the dashboard, which gives teachers the option of preparing questions in advance, asking one question orally and having students respond, giving pre-designed items, or using and editing quizzes created by other users.  

How do students access the questions?

When creating an account, teachers receive a room number that never changes.  In order to take the assessments, students login to the student portal through http://m.socrative.com/student/#joinRoom or by clicking on www.socrative.com using the teacher room number. (See the image below.)  

 

What’s great about Socrative?

• No student emails or accounts.  Students only need the teacher room number to access the materials.
• Downloadable results.  For every assignment, students must enter their names.  When the assessment in finished, teachers can download student responses.  
• Oral questions.  Unlike on similar sites (such as www.polleverywhere.com), teachers can ask a question orally or use pre-made items, such as the exit ticket.
• Multiple questions.  Assessments can be made with a number of items.
• Computers or mobile devices.  Students can respond with a computer or cell phone; if there are not enough devices in a class, different students are able to take the assessment on the same device.

Caveat Emptor (Does that apply to something that’s free?  But I digress...)

• Teachers must start quizzes for students to access them.
• Only 50 users per activity.
• Requires the internet.
• Survey results are not “pretty” and in real time like they are on PollEverywhere.

Ideas for Socrative

• Poll students at the beginning of class about the order of class activities.
• Ask students to create quizzes for the class as a homework assignment; use this as an opening activity.
• Ask questions that resemble those on an upcoming quiz and use the data to plan a review class and to group students for activities.   
• Exit tickets.  Use this feature to get feedback on class activities.
• How is class going?  Survey students on your performance or their performance, and use the results to shape class structure.  
• Interest surveys.  In order to discuss concepts in class, create interest surveys, then students share and analyze the results in small groups.  

Review in a nutshell:  Although the dashboard is a tad clunky, Socrative is great for formative assessments that inform classroom instruction, and it makes “clicker” systems unnecessary.