Inviting curiosity and student involvement into the classroom

We met with Cindy Lopes-Bento (C.L.B.), Assistant Professor at Maastricht University, to discuss the way she uses Wooclap to improve student involvement and curiosity during her classes

How do you use Wooclap ?

C.L.B.: I use Wooclap to make my lectures more interactive. During a 2h lecture, my main objective is to keep students involved. To this end, I use different Wooclap questions to add some interaction between me and the students as well as among students themselves. I use polls to ask them their opinion, and Multiple Choice Questions to test their knowledge

What are the advantages of using Wooclap?

C.L.B.: Wooclap helps me draw my students’ attention, which they enjoy very much.They like being given the chance to participate. Rather th passively sitting there, everyone has a voice in the classroom Students are very appreciative of the fact that I encourage them to use their smartphone or any other mobile device for educational purposes, rather than prohibiting it

How many questions do you usually ask?

C.L.B.: It depends on the duration of the class, but I usually ask the first question, which is not related to the course’s content, at the start of the class, as an ice-breaker. Then, for classes of 2 to 3 hours, I ask them 1 or 2 questions per topic, in order to keep them involved and engaged throughout the duration of the class

Does using Wooclap influence the way you teach?

C.L.B.: By asking students questions, you trigger their curiosity and invite them to get involved, so the way you teach does not necessarily change, but the way you approach the students is very different.