Live Question Tool

I mentioned this nifty classroom question tool in an earlier post, but felt it needed it’s own post as it could be widely applied in our face-to-face and some online programs at the SOG.

Live Question Tool is a web-based tool that lets clients at your presentation post questions for the speakers. As questions are posted, other class participants can submit comments and cast votes for the questions they hope to see answered first. It is hosted on Harvard University’s Berkman Center website, where it is freely available to anyone who wants to use it.  The presenter can address the questions during the session, wait for a Q&A break, or start answering questions when clients return from lunch for example.

It’s free, easy to use and can also be effectively used to level the question-submitting “playing field” for courses that mix both remote and local participants. Furthermore, it is a great (alternative?) use of laptops and other web-enabled devices in our SOG classrooms.  Eileen Y. recently pointed me to this article on classroom laptop use worth sharing that also mentions use of these tools in the live classroom.

5 Steps:

1. Go to the Live Question Tool website.
2. Create a new “instance” or session.
3. Default settings work fine (I change featured questions to 4)
4. Send class to the direct link (i.e. http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/questions/SOGtest)  …and/or write it up on the board
5. Give class instructions on what 3 things they can do:
   • Post a new question (they can post anonymously, or provide name/email)
   • Reply to/comment on an existing question
   • Vote for an existing question (this promotes the question higher on the screen and indicates how badly participants want it answered)

Admin Features:

1. You have 30 days to go in and copy/save your session’s questions, or delete the session altogether.
2. During the presentation, you can moderate the questions and “hide” already-answered questions or clear the board in prepartation for the next presenter or topic.  Hidden questions are not deleted and can be retrieved within 30 days.

Note: this is an open tool, and there’s no keeping online wanderers out, but nor would browsers likely wander in.  It needn’t only be used at SOG, but can be used when you travel and teach as well…assuming there is available wifi/internet access at your site.

Useful Resources:

Some more (good) light reading on the tool http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7048.pdf

A short video explanation:

Let me know what you think?  Did you end up using the tool?

Possibly related posts:

1. TurningPoint: Creating a Question Slide
2. Writing good TurningPoint questions
3. Powerpoint is a tool: That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.