PollEverywhere ran a contest last week: create the most engaging "icebreaker" poll to warm up an audience or classroom waiting for a presentation. By entering this contest, I learned that this early student response system had more bells and whistles than I had realized prior. Some
- GIFs: You can insert an animated .gif file into a poll question and scale its size (thumbnail to entire background image)
- Images as answers: In lieu of text, you can insert an image (.jpg, .png, .gif) as a possible correct answer to a poll question
- Fonts & Colors: You can manipulate the typeface of each poll element as well as the background color
- Omit: You can delete elements like poll instructions
- Clickable image: Users can touch an area of an image (map, chart, graph, table, art) as a correct answer. (See how I used clickable images in this interview I did with PollEv last month.)
I shared my two entries with my classes, and they were mildly hopeful that I had a shot at one of the prizes. Last week I was informed that the Jaws poll I made would be featured in a list of other "ice breaker" polls, but, alas, I was not a winner, but my colleague @MrLBCP received an honorable mention for his Family Guy-inspired poll.
Entry #1: Jaws (click for live poll)
Entry #2: Top Gun (click for live poll)
Both of these polls contain animated gifs. Click links above to see. Do you have a go-to icebreaker poll?