Following an insightful talk by Matt Bromley on stretch and challenge at our post-Christmas CPD day, the eLearning team came away from the session thinking about some of the technology available to support ‘Hinge Questioning.’ This is the concept of having a key question in a learning sequence in order to check understanding, before moving on to the next subject. We think the whole process of ‘Hinge Questioning’ can be made much easier and more efficient with the use of technology, so we have put together three technologies we think can support ‘Hinge Questioning’ in different ways.
Spiral
Spiral is a quick and easy tool to use to set up a ‘Hinge Question’, if your students have a device each. By signing up for an account you can create these questions, and also integrate a presentation into Spiral if desired. Spiral’s open response format allows you to delve deeper into a learner’s understanding compared to a multiple choice tool such as ‘Kahoot!’. Spiral also allows the teacher to flag some responses that appear on the board, these can be then discussed as a group and ‘bounced’ around the room.
Mentimeter
Mentimeter is a different tool that can deliver multiple choice ‘Hinge Questions’. Again, this relies on student’s having a device with internet connectivity, so they can navigate to a webpage to answer questions. Mentimeter is quick and easy to use with results shown in an easy to reach bar chart format. We think that Mentimeter is a very effective tool for teachers using hinge questions, by offering multiple choice questioning as well as many other styles of questions.
Plickers
Unlike our other two suggestions, Plickers does not rely on students in the class having a device to respond with. Instead it uses pre-printed code-cards that students will hold up in a different orientation to select their choice. The teacher then scans the room to input the responses using a device. These results are then displayed in a handy bar chart, easily allowing the teacher to determine the result of the ‘Hinge Question’. Plickers is an easily accessed tool.
These are just three different options we think you can use technology to support the ‘Hinge Questioning’ method of stretch and challenge. If you require any further training on any of these technologies or have another technology or use to discuss please contact us on elearning@loucoll.ac.uk