Checking learning online

Asking questions on Zoom


If you ask a question to a whole group on Zoom, it is less easy for students to respond without talking

over each other!


First make sure you have shown students how to indicate they want to speak (eg hands up feature).

Then try one of these:


  • Ask everyone to write answers in the chat box. Then choose which to share.

  • Ask a question and then ask everyone to thumbs up if they agree, or thumbs down if they don't.

  • Ask specific students the question (after giving eveyone time to think)

  • Use the 'short answer' option in Google Classroom (Go to Classwork - Materials - Create)

  • Use the 'Stream' in Google Classroom as a forum where they can respond to questions and share with each other.


Using breakout rooms

Zoom allows you to send your students to 'breakout rooms' where they can

  • discuss a question

  • practise language or other learning

  • complete a task or work out a problem

Zoom allows you to set the time, and can randomly select groups or allow you to assign students to groups

You can join each group to monitor how they are progressing.

You can use a google shared document, or a padlet (see below) to collect thoughts from each group.


Using Exercises or Assignments

Exercises or assignments can be set using Google Classroom.

You can

  • Set a quiz. Google will collect their answers. You can also arrange for the quiz to be self marking.

  • Set an assignment in Google Classroom which they can submit and have marked

  • Use flipped learning - set students a task before the class such as a piece of reading/video with questions so you can use class time to discuss.

Going through the answers together to closed answer exercises can take up valuable time. Better to supply the answers and let students mark themselves.

Details of how to use Google Classroom for quizzes, assignments etc is on the Teaching and Working Remotely website www.citylit.ac.uk/staffaccess


Presentations, recordings and videos

  • Students can make presentations to the rest of the group on Zoom. You need to enable screensharing for everyone so they can display powerpoints or other documents to their peers.

  • For practical classes, you can use the 'Spotlight' feature in Zoom. This will enable everyone to see you more clearly.

  • Students can video or record themselves, eg playing a piece or performing. They can share these with you by email, or upload them to youtube and send you the link. If your students have agreed to be in a a Whatsapp group, you can share them this way.


Using Apps

There are a variety of apps that are useful for checking learning. These are simple to use. You register wtih the site, create an activity and then send a link to your students so they can join in. You can post the link in the Chat, or the Stream, on Google Classroom.

Some popular ones are:

  • Kahoot (game-based learning platform that makes it easy to create, share and play learning games or trivia quizzes)

  • Quizlet (website providing learning tools for students, including quizzes, flashcards, games)

  • Mentimeter (app for creating interactive presentations and word clouds)

  • Padlet (online “bulletin” board, where students and tutors can collaborate, reflect, share links and pictures)

  • Jamboard. (Students can collaborate on an online interactive whiteboard).

  • Wordwall (tool enabling students to drag and drop words into blank spaces within a text)

  • Coggle It (tool for creating and sharing mind maps and flow charts)

  • Note.ly (application that allows you to create sticky notes that can be accessed from various devices)

  • WordPress (tool to make your website, e.g for sharing student's photos/images and ongoing reflection on work)


Padlet homepage