Bringing Web-based Tools into the Classroom: A Workshop on the Online Student Response System “Socrative”

This session will show participants how to use a free online student response system (Socrative) in a variety of fun and interactive ways. This academic year I have used Socrative in my EFL (English as a foreign language) writing classes for things like quizzes and off-the-cuff comprehension checks, brainstorming and checking answers to textbook-based tasks. The settings in Socrative allow the teacher to control the pace of the activities or let the students work at their own pace, and there is even a race setting that adds a game-like element. Participants will use both and think about the kinds of activities that would be best for each setting. By the end of the workshop participants will know how to use Socrative for a range of activities. In this workshop participants will be asked to log into Socrative and do some activities to see both sides of this tool – the teacher’s side through my screen and the student’s side through theirs. Participants do not need to download anything or sign up for an account and their answers will not identify them. All that is needed to participate in this workshop is a computer or a smart phone. Although this workshop is aimed at those who have not used Socrative before, it may also be useful for those who are looking for new ways to use it.

• Louise Ohashi, Charles Sturt University, New South Wales, Australia