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Twitter Polls for Learning in and out of Class

By Starr Sackstein — September 15, 2016 1 min read
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Could Twitter possibly get even better?

The short answer is yes.

The poll function has lots of great uses for the classroom. It’s super easy to use and is a great way to gather quick data.

To use, all you have to do is click the tweet button to compose a tweet (see photo), then click the poll icon on the bottom right, write your question and put two answers in. Then tweet it out to the world.

Once folks start answering questions, the poll is live for 24 hours and the data gathers directly on the tweet. (See photo below). You’ll know how many people answered total and what percentage of people answered which answers, but not tied to specific users.

Here are some ways I can see this tool being useful in the classroom:


  • Can easily be used as an exit ticket posted to a class hashtag to quickly gather data and save paper.

  • To poll the room during class anonymously to gather consensus

  • To ask quick questions to determine learning in and out of class

  • Have students pose questions to class as a way to gain interaction during their own presentations to gage learning

  • To gather data for stats when doing research for an article for the school paper

  • Use it during professional learning to get teachers more engaged in the lesson or lecture and be able to use the data right away to shift the course of action if necessary.

There’s a simplicity and directness to using a quick question poll with 1-4 answers.

In addition to gathering data from the poll, Twitter also offers users information about how many people saw the tweet and how many interactions it had in this easy to read function. (See below)

Why not give it a try in your classroom?

How have you used Twitter’s poll function in your class or personal learning? Please share

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