August 21, 2023
Berkeley has several instructional tools that can be used for efficient attendance tracking. Review the following key things to consider:
iClicker Cloud
iClicker Cloud has a built-in attendance feature that can automatically run in the background when class starts. There is also a location feature that can be enabled if you are concerned about students being physically present in class. You can sync your roster with bCourses for grading both attendance and student engagement. iClicker Cloud allows you to ask questions spontaneously if you’d like to make adjustments as you teach. You can use iClicker cloud with a dedicated remote or students can use their personal devices. For more details on setting up iClicker see this help article: How to Manage Attendance Settings in iClicker Cloud or watch this attendance introduction video.
Poll Everywhere
Poll everywhere does not have an attendance feature but it can be used for attendance by asking questions in class. This tool requires you to write your questions in advance as opposed to iClicker which doesn’t have this requirement. Roster syncing is supported but Poll Everywhere does not have dedicated hardware clickers and relies on the student’s personal mobile device or laptop to sign in and respond to questions. For more details about attendance with Poll Everywhere see this help article: How to take attendance with Poll Everywhere.
bCourses Attendance
If you have a smaller class with just one roster you may want to try bCourses’ built in attendance tool. This doesn’t require you to install any software or have your students download an app. You can track student attendance quickly by checking off who is present and who is absent within the first few minutes of class. No need to sync a roster, the attendance feature is in your bCourses site by default. For more information see How do I use the Attendance tool in bCourses?
If you’re choosing polling software for attendance we recommend that you ask several questions per class in case students have any connectivity issues. By implementing this practice you can reduce the number of errors in the attendance record.
If you’d like to discuss the instructional tools available for attendance please schedule a consultation with us!