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Wooclap can be defined as “an online participation platform designed to engage audiences during presentations, lectures or live events. The application is used via an electronic device and provides the possibility to ask a variety of questions, including multiple choice, poll, matching fill-in-the-blank or brainstorming, among others, which speakers can insert into their presentations and receive an interactive response from the students” (Catalada, 2024). This quote shows that Wooclap can help teachers make their lessons more interactive by allowing them to ask different question types that cater to diverse learning styles and boost greater student engagement.

How to use Wooclap Tutorial

Wooclap - Made with Clipchamp_1747534833320.mp4

Click here to see how Wooclap and Canvastera can be used in actual lesson plans

Wooclap in higher education:
“Its academic use is widespread as it is used by more than 500,000 professors in more than 400 universities in 150 countries. In the field of higher education, the platform has been used in different disciplines, such as engineering, geography, journalism, medicine, biology, computer science, languages and pharmacology and immunology. All of them have experienced positive results in the classroom after their use, confirming the transversality of the application.” (Catalada, 2024). This quote reflects the adaptability of Wooclap across diverse disciplines, which reinforces its value as a versatile educational app that enhances learning.

Positive and Negative aspects:

The Positive👍👍

“Improving the learning process based on motivation and improved attention” (Aldalur & Perez, 2023; Moreno-Medina et al., 2023).

By focusing on motivation and attention, Wooclap shows the potential of technology as a tool that can support more significant learning experiences rather than only delivering content. This is particularly important as traditional methods may no longer not align with students' needs as digitally native people, who engage with technology daily and expect learning to be just as interactive.

“The interaction and communication between lecturers and students” (Braçe-Diko & Garrido-Cumbrera, 2022).

This effective interaction can help build a stronger connection that can encourage learners to be more involved in class, leading to the creation of a welcoming learning environment. Such an environment could contrast with teacher-centered spaces, where student-teacher interaction is limited and learner participation is significantly lower. This can show the need for more interactive approaches that give opportunities for meaningful dialogue in the classroom.

“The introduction of debate and collective reflection” (Catalina-García & García-Galera, 2022).

Introducing debate and collective reflection can promote active participation, leading to the consideration of different perspectives. This is key to foster critical-thinking skills by encouraging student to question assumptions and take into account alternative stances on a given subject. In addition, students will ultimately develop communication and reasoning skills, which contribute to a richer learning experience.

The Negative 👎👎

The risk of distraction

The use of devices in class may lead to distractions if learners get sidetracked by notifications or social media. Research supports this concern, highlighting the negative impact of digital distractions in student focus and participation. "The division of attention demanded by ICT devices further strains the students' cognitive abilities, diminishing their learning and weakening their understanding" (Goundar, 2014). For language learners, diminished focus can hinder the mental processes involved in language learning, including comprehending grammar rules and practicing effective communication.

Not intuitive for first-time users

The platform includes so many features that it becomes overwhelming, and figuring out how to create and share activities with students is not intuitive at all. The concept of intuitiveness has been widely explored by researchers. According to Reinhardt et al. (2024), "intuitive use involves non-conscious information processing and the utilisation of prior knowledge. Intuitive interactions are said to be fast, easy to learn, embodied and imbued with magical experience" (p.2453). The lack of intuitiveness of Wooclap can lead to frustration, which can result in learner disengagement from the activity and avoid using the tool altogether. Such disengagement can lead to a decrease in student participation of Wooclap tasks, which reduces communicative practice important for language development.

References

Aldalur, I., & Perez, A. (2023). Gamification and discovery learning: Motivating and involving
students in the learning process. Heliyon, 9(1), e13135.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13135

Braçe-Diko, O., & Garrido-Cumbrera, M. (2022). Utilización de herramientas tecnológicas de
dinamización docente en educación superior de asignaturas de geografía. Geosaberes: Revista de Estudos Geoeducacionais, 13(1), 178–185. https://doi.org/10.26895/geosaberes.v13i0.1315

Catalina-García, B., & García-Galera, M. del C. (2022). Innovation and hi-tech tools in journalism education. The Wooclap case. Doxa Comunicación. Revista Interdisciplinar De Estudios De Comunicación Y Ciencias Sociales, 34, 19–32. https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n34a1141

Catala Estada, B., Muñoz-Higueras , D., & Sanjuán Belda, J. (2024). Student Response Systems in higher education: A comparative analysis using Wooclap platform in economic courses. Journal of Management and Business Education, 7(2), 244–260. https://doi.org/10.35564/jmbe.2024.0014

Goundar, S. (2014). The distraction of technology in the classroom. Journal of Education & Human Development, 3(1), 211–229.

Moreno-Medina, I., Peñas-Garzón, M., Belver, C., & Bedia, J. (2023). Wooclap for improving
student achievement and motivation in the Chemical Engineering Degree. Education for
Chemical Engineers, 45, 11–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ece.2023.07.003

Reinhardt, D., & Hurtienne, J. (2023). Measuring Intuitive Use: Theoretical Foundations. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 40(10), 2453–2483. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2166204