RTL offers essential tools like Course Capture and student response systems to enhance in-class engagement while holding students accountable for their learning. While Course Capture provides flexibility for allowing students to revisit lectures, there may be some concern over its impact on in-classroom attendance over time. Combining Course Capture with interactive attendance-taking methods can both mitigate these risks and stimulate in-class participation. This approach of pairing Berkeley-supported attendance tools can encourage students to attend class, actively participate, and maintain a high standard of engagement throughout the semester.
Below we explore methods of taking attendance through interactive polling tools.
Why attendance matters in a Course Capture environment
While Course Capture enables students to review class content asynchronously and supports diverse learning styles by providing captioning, searchability, and the ability to watch at individualized speeds, in-person attendance has irreplaceable benefits — like real-time discussion, peer interactions, and live Q&A opportunities. Studies highlight that learning occurs best in social, interactive settings, underscoring the need for a balance between Course Capture and live participation (Chen & Denoyelles, 2013; Luo & Kalman, 2018; Le, 2022). Communicating these benefits clearly to students can set expectations for participation and align attendance with your course learning objectives.
Using attendance tracking tools to support Course Capture
To address attendance concerns, we recommend pairing Course Capture with interactive attendance tools. At Berkeley, instructors have access to Poll Everywhere, iClicker, and the Roll Call Attendance Tool in bCourses — all of which support tracking in-class presence while fostering engagement through active learning activities. These tools make it easy to consistently record attendance implement strategies that motivate students to participate actively in class.
Choosing the right tool for attendance and engagement
To support instructors in selecting and using attendance tools, RTL hosts a dedicated workshop each semester introducing how Poll Everywhere and iClicker can be used for boosting engagement while taking attendance. This workshop covers essential features, setup steps, and tips for effective classroom use. We’re pleased to share a recording of this workshop that you can watch asynchronously.
For instructors seeking a straightforward, no-frills attendance solution, bCourses Roll Call is a built-in feature that allows you to quickly mark students as present or absent at the start of class. While it doesn’t include interactive polling or active learning activities like Poll Everywhere or iClicker, it’s a great option for those who simply want an easy way to track attendance without additional setup or software requirements. This tool is especially useful for smaller classes where manual attendance is manageable and effective.