Keywords

1 Introduction

The last few years have seen an increased interest in the use of Student Response Systems (SRS) in higher education (Hassan et al., 2021). However, much of the published studies focused on K-12 education (Wang & Tahir, 2020), particularly on Kahoot! (Wang, 2015; Plump & LaRosa, 2017), and Socrative (Coca & Slisko, 2013; Awedh et al., 2014), mainly using experiments. In addition, evidence from previous studies was based on data generated in face-to-face settings, while little research addressed undergraduate students’ perceptions of SRS during online classes (Holbrey, 2020). Although Nearpod has been a popular tool at universities and colleges in the UAE for a while, the report on these practices remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this paper explores how Nearpod, a Student Response System (SRS) has been used in online English classes to improve engagement and facilitate teaching during the pandemic. In the literature, these interactive platforms have been identified under a variety of names. For example, Caldwell (2007) uses the term clickers, while Kay and LeSage (2009) refer to these platforms as Audience-response Systems. Likewise, Wang (2015) uses the term Student Response System. In this paper, we refer to these interactive platforms as SRS.

Nearpod is a free web-based platform that allows instructors to create engaging lessons and interactive presentations embedded with multimedia, videos, virtual reality tours, and self-paced quizzes (Fig. 1). Nearpod provides real-time formative assessment supported with instant feedback, which enables students to reflect on their learning immediately. Nearpod also helps instructors track students’ progress, identifying areas where students need more practice and highlighting them instantly (Fig. 2). As compared to other SRS, Nearpod offers additional opportunities for real-time interactions beyond the traditional MCQ’s including live polls, voice-recording feature, drawing function, gamification and competition through the use of ‘Time to Climb’ game. Furthermore, instructors can identify students who remain active and monitor their progress and attendance. Despite the many uses of this platform, this study focuses on using Nearpod to facilitate teaching and learning English in online lessons.

Fig. 1
A screenshot. It has 3 icons above and 5 options in a task bar below. They icons read, add content, add web content, and add activity, respectively. The options of the task bar read, open ended question, poll, quiz, draw it, and fill in the blanks, respectively.

Question types in Nearpod

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Fig. 2
A screenshot. It has 2 title bars at the top with the slide numbers, author and teacher names with 3 metrics below. They are, the number of students, student participation, and the correct answers in the quizzes.

Students’ progress report

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1.1 Research Aim and Questions

Considering the aforementioned background, this mixed-methods study aims to investigate undergraduate students’ perceptions of Nearpod, an SRS that is used to facilitate active learning in an English language online course at a federal higher education institution in the UAE during pandemic teaching. The following research questions guided the study:

  • RQ1: How do undergraduate students perceive the use of Nearpod for teaching and learning during online ESL classes?

  • RQ2: Are there gender differences in undergraduate students’ perceptions of Nearpod?

2 Theoretical Perspectives

Active learning is generally defined as a student-centered pedagogical approach that helps to promote interaction, collaboration, discussion, and self-reflection. Prior research (Armbruster et al., 2009; Shroff et al., 2019) suggests that effective integration of active learning strategies may improve students’ attitudes toward learning, maximize cognitive engagement and assist faculty in achieving successful learning outcomes. Moreover, studies have demonstrated that active learning strategies such as timely feedback may enhance students’ self-efficacy and improve retention of knowledge. Student engagement is a defining construct of active learning. Engagement is often cited as students’ interest, active interaction, involvement, and participation in purposeful learning activities which enhance learning performance to achieve learning outcomes (Fredricks et al., 2004). Research shows (Blasco-Arcas et al., 2013) when students are engaged in their learning, they demonstrate increased attention, motivation, participation, and ultimately show high levels of satisfaction, and enjoyment, which are directly linked to student success.

3 Literature Review

Considerable scholarly attention has been given to the benefits of using SRS in the classroom (Wang & Tahir, 2020; Kocak, 2022). Most of these studies have helped identify the key advantages of using SRS to enhance teaching and learning in traditional face-to-face instruction (Wang, 2015; Göksün & Gürsoy’s, 2019). For instance, the seminal work of Caldwell (2007) shows that these interactive technologies positively impacted classroom dynamics, stimulated class discussion, increased learning effectiveness, and improved attendance. More recently, Holbrey (2020) studied Kahoot!, a similar SRS tool, and found that it was a successful platform in enabling active participation. Among the other benefits, SRS has been found to provide meaningful and timely feedback. Other studies (Hung, 2017; Hassan et al., 2021) have shown that instant feedback in the form of scores, badges, rankings, and rewards has led to higher student engagement. Research also shows that SRS reduces classroom anxiety through anonymous participation (Wang, 2015). In a similar study, Plump and LaRosa’s (2017) survey results reported that students perceived SRS, namely Kahoot!, to improve their comprehension, facilitate learning new concepts, and make learning more enjoyable. Consistent with Plump and LaRosa’s (2017) findings, Shehata et al. (2020) verified that SRS may improve students’ learning outcomes. In a similar vein, Dizon (2016) found evidence that SRS (Quizlet) was effective in EFL students’ vocabulary acquisition. However, not all studies share these positive views of SRS. Research by Kaya and Balta (2016) demonstrated that although SRS (Socrative) stimulated more interactive discussions, no difference was noted in students’ academic outcomes.

In reviewing the literature, studies revealed that students perceive SRS to be beneficial, although evidence of improved learning has been less clear and inconsistent (Coca & Slisko, 2013; Kaya & Balta, 2016). Apart from Hakami (2020) study, there is a general lack of research from the gulf context documenting the use of Nearpod in online teaching during the pandemic. To the authors’ knowledge, no study has formally investigated Emirati students’ perceptions of Nearpod during online teaching across tertiary education in the UAE. In an attempt to address the gap, this mixed-methods study aims to investigate undergraduate students’ perceptions of using Nearpod to facilitate teaching and learning in an ESL program at a federal higher education institution in the UAE.

4 Research Methods

4.1 Research Design

This study adopted a mixed-methods (QUAN + QUAL) concurrent triangulation design (Creswell, 2007), where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in parallel in a single study (Fig. 3). A survey (N = 90) was administered to find out undergraduate students perceptions of using Nearpod in online lectures, alongside in-depth interviews (N = 5). According to Creswell (2007), triangulation adds rigor, depth, and trustworthiness to the study.

Fig. 3
A 3-tier horizontal flowchart. The data collection and analyses of QUAL in-depth interviews and QUAN self-report surveys lead to data convergence which ultimately leads to data interpretation.

Concurrent triangulation design adapted from Creswell (2007)

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4.2 Sample and Setting

This small-scale study was conducted in the Spring semester of 2021 in an undergraduate ESL program at a medium-sized federal higher education institution in the UAE. A convenience sample of ninety (N = 90) participants completed the survey. Five female (N = 5) students volunteered to participate in the in-depth interviews. Table 1 provides the general profile of the participants.

Table 1 Participant’s demographic information
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Table 2 Students’ perceptions of using Nearpod in the online classroom
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4.3 Data Collection Instruments and Analysis

A survey was adapted from Shehata et al. (2020) to capture students’ perceptions of using Nearpod in online ESL classes and ensure the content validity of the survey. The survey was administrated using Google Forms. The first part of the survey elicited students’ demographic information. The second part of the survey included 10-items which were rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 5 (Strongly Agree) to 1 (Strongly Disagree). Cronbach’s alpha was (α = .873), indicating a good internal consistency.

In-depth online interviews were conducted via Blackboard Collaborate Ultra video conferencing after obtaining informed consent. The interviews (N = 5) consisted of seven open-ended questions that focused on understanding students’ experiences with Nearpod; and how it affected their virtual learning experience. The interviews lasted approximately 20–30 min. The interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis.

Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS version 23 to provide the mean and standard deviation for the survey items. T-test was used to determine if there are any gender differences in undergraduate students’ perceptions of Nearpod. Moreover, the data from the Likert-scale items were analyzed using Google Forms which provided figures and percentages. The qualitative data obtained from the in-depth interviews were analyzed based on the theoretical positions of Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis. Trustworthiness was achieved from repeated checking of the data and verifying internal data consistency by multiple researchers.

5 Findings and Discussion

This section is structured based on the research design. First, quantitative data are presented; then, the qualitative findings are analyzed and discussed.

5.1 Quantitative Results

RQ1: How do undergraduate students perceive the use of Nearpod for teaching and learning during online ESL classes?

Table 2 shows the percentages and descriptive statistics from the survey. Interestingly, most of the items were rated positively. Almost 76% of those surveyed enjoyed using Nearpod in English lessons. It is notable that over 78% of the respondents agreed that Nearpod helped shy students interact more. This finding indicates that students feel more comfortable participating in online platforms, which reaffirms the research findings of Caldwell (2007) and Wang (2015), who acknowledge that students appreciate the anonymous participation afforded by SRS. They argue that when students believe their responses are anonymous, their active participation increases. In addition, about 83% believed that Nearpod creates an interactive learning environment. These results correspond with Blasco-Arcas et al. (2013) who concurred that promoting engagement and interactivity is critical as it leads to better and more effective learning. Of the 90 students who used Nearpod, approximately 82.2% perceived Nearpod to increase the level of interactivity. The data also demonstrates that about 78% believed that Nearpod’s interactive elements increased their understanding of the lesson. In addition, more than 82.3% of those surveyed reported that doing the multiple-choice questions helped them understand things better. These findings related to improved learning and understanding align with the research conducted by Plump and LaRosa (2017) and Göksün and Gürsoy’s (2019), who found that SRS improved students’ knowledge retention and learning outcomes. As shown in Fig. 4, nearly 79% of the respondents felt that they enjoyed learning when using Nearpod integrated with the video. Interestingly, as shown in (Fig. 5), the statement ‘I like to receive instant feedback using Nearpod’ scored positively at 93.3%. It appears that students perceive that the instant feedback afforded by Nearpod promotes deep learning, which supports the previous work of Shroff et al. (2019) on the value of instant feedback afforded by SRS.

Fig. 4
A bar graph plots the number of responses versus a scale of 1 to 5, for a survey of 90 responses and the statement, I enjoy learning when using Nearpod integrated with the video. The values for scale 5 to 1 are 51, 20, 16, 2, and 1, with a % share of 56.7, 22.2, 17.8, 2.25, and 1.1, respectively.

I enjoy learning when using Nearpod integrated with the video

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Fig. 5
A bar graph plots the number of responses versus a scale of 1 to 5 for a survey of 90 responses, and the statement, I like to receive instant feedback using Nearpod. The values for scale 5 through 1 are 71, 13, 3, 2, and 1, with a percent share of 78.9, 14.4, 3.3, 2.2, and 1.1, respectively.

I like to receive instant feedback using Nearpod

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RQ2: Are there gender differences in undergraduate students’ perceptions towards Nearpod?

As shown in Table 3, there was a slight difference between the means of male and female students in terms of the level of agreement towards Nearpod. Table 4 shows no statistically significant difference between male and female students (t = .638, df = 88, p = .525, two-tailed).

Table 3 Difference between male and female students
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Table 4 shows no statistically significant difference between male and female students (t = .638, df = 88, p = .525, two-tailed).

Table 4 Independent sample T-test for gender differences
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5.2 Qualitative Results

Theme One: Fun and Enjoyment

All of the participants (N = 5) seem to comment favorably on the engagement afforded by Nearpod. Notably, undergraduate students described their experience with Nearpod as ‘motivating,’ ‘interesting,’ and ‘engaging’. In addition, ‘fun,’ ‘enjoying,’ and ‘exciting’ were some of the most repeated phrases during the interviews. Students also perceived Nearpod to make class time ‘more productive’ and felt ‘less bored’ with the use of Nearpod. These findings from the interviews are in line with previous studies (Hung, 2017; Hassan et al., 2021), which confirmed that SRS has proven to affect students’ acceptance of the lesson, promote entertainment, and foster a positive atmosphere.

Theme Two: Knowledge and Understanding

Some participants noted that Nearpod provided them with learning guidance, especially in online lectures. Many students also mentioned that Nearpod allowed them to be ‘active’ in class, ‘collaborate more’, and ‘increased their understanding’. These findings are similar to past studies on SRS which have given special consideration to its impact on enhancing understanding and knowledge retention (Coca & Slisko 2013; Kaya & Balta’s, 2016; Plump & LaRosa, 2017). Some participants mentioned that using Nearpod for teaching new vocabulary and grammar was ‘useful’ and gave them a chance to ‘discuss the correct answer’. Comparable results were also obtained by Dizon (2016), who report that SRS improves students’ retention of vocabulary in EFL classrooms.

“Nearpod was useful to revise vocabulary and grammar” (Participant A).

“To receive the instant feedback was very good to know my mistakes immediately” (Participant E).

Students also appreciated the interactive functions afforded by Nearpod, such as live polls, voice-recorder, and drawing function, which made learning more pleasurable. These findings align with previous studies conducted by Wang and Tahir (2020), who confirmed that instant feedback, scores, and leader boards are some of the most useful features provided by SRS appreciated by students. Furthermore, all participants referred to Nearpod as an effective tool to ‘provide immediate feedback’, which helped them learn ‘quicker’. Some participants also reported that tracking their progress was more efficient online, as they could quickly identify their mistakes in real-time. These findings follow Awedh et al., (2014) research findings, who stated that SRS is a good review tool to keep students focused and engage them in active learning. Some examples of participants’ comments follow:

“Nearpod helps me learn my mistakes quickly” (Participant A).

“It was interesting to see my results and know if I understood the content” (Participant E).

“I interact more with the teacher and my classmates when I play Nearpod” (Participant B).

Theme Three: Dynamics of the Lesson

Qualitative data analysis identified issues related to the dynamics of online lessons. Almost all of the participants (N = 5) were in favor of SRS, indicating that Nearpod made their learning more ‘personalized’, ‘active’ and gave them a ‘break’ during the long hours spent on the screen. Students were also excited to try new features of Nearpod, such as virtual tours and live polls that seem to increase their satisfaction of the lesson. These findings match those observed in earlier studies of Wang (2015) who sought to demonstrate the benefits of SRS in differentiating instruction, increasing participation, and improving the classroom dynamics. Many participants recognized that they needed more engaging platforms such as Nearpod and Kahoot! to stimulate their interest in the lesson, keep them ‘awake’ and ‘focused.’

The current study demonstrated that both the quantitative and qualitative data indicated that students see SRS as a promising tool to foster engagement and enhance interactivity in online classes. Overall, the quantitative and qualitative data suggest that students generally perceive Nearpod as useful in online ESL lectures. In addition, it appears that students are likely to spend more time in online classes if it is enjoyable, engaging, and involve gamification. These findings reinforces the pedagogical characteristics of SRS as cited in existing literature, including the work of Alawadhi and Abu-Ayyash (2021); Holbrey (2020), and Göksün and Gürsoy (2019).

6 Limitations and Further Research

With reference to limitations, the following should be considered. The sample population has been drawn from a single college, therefore, the results cannot be generalized. In addition, the results are based on students’ self-report data, which is subject to social desirability bias (Johnson & Christensen, 2014). Nonetheless, this study has significant implications for theory and practice in ESL tertiary education. It is hoped that this study will provide college instructors with valuable insights for addressing the problem of low engagement in online classes. Instructors could benefit from the availability of SRS to improve teaching practices in online classes to support more active participation and better engagement.

7 Conclusion

This study investigated undergraduate students’ perceptions of using Nearpod, an SRS to facilitate teaching and learning in an English language course at a federal higher education in the UAE. An online survey (N = 90) and in-depth interviews (N = 5) were conducted to collect data for this study. The findings suggest that ESL students perceive the use of Nearpod as an effective tool to enhance knowledge and understanding and improve classroom dynamics. This study also confirms that SRS is emerging as a promising tool to foster engagement in online learning. Though COVID-19 impacted conventional teaching and learning, universities and colleges may take this as an opportunity to reform their teaching practices through emerging new technologies. As in the UAE tertiary institution landscape, more scholarly work is needed in this field. Therefore, the findings of this study may contribute to our understanding of the role of SRS in online learning during pandemic teaching.