School pupils prefer anonymity – Qwizdom handhelds afford that luxury
In the classroom, no-one is hidden from view and the teacher sees all…well, most of the time! What about when sensitive issues are discussed in a classroom? Do you think the pupils are all going to suddenly open up and admit dark truths even their parents don’t know? Not likely!
Circle Time
When I used to teach, we had a 30-minute slot before break called ‘Circle Time’. We all sat in a circle and if there were any issues or problems that the pupils were dealing with, they were brought to the forum and discussed. It was amazing to see the pupils dispense advice to their peers regarding issues their parents probably did not know about. There was a sense of secrecy, anonymity that afforded them the freedom to open up and share what was on their hearts without fear of reprisal or negative consequence.
Things have changed since then with chatrooms, blogs and social networking sites hiding the true identity of the blogger and allowing more people, positively and negatively, to open up and share what they think with the world, literally!
Tell me your secrets!
It’s amazing how much someone will reveal or own up to when they know their identity is being kept anonymous. I am fascinated to know why that is. You give someone a remote control, ask them some questions you’d never really ask face to face and also expect an honest answer, and you suddenly find an openness honesty that wasn’t there before! Why?
That’s where, and how, Qwizdom comes into the picture!
Qwizdom in the press
Here are some articles that have been printed in magazines and newspapers in the UK which show how much easier it is for pupils to respond using our remotes as opposed to sticking up their hands!
- Belfast School tackles teenage pregnancy and drug abuse with Qwizdom handheld technology : Teachers at Ashfield Girls High School, East Belfast, are combating the rise of teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse by opening classroom discussions with the latest handheld voting technology from Qwizdom. (PDF)
- From QA Education, Summer 2007 - The truth is out there : What do our teenagers really think? When it comes to group discussions, are your students honest, especially when talking about embarrassing topics? (PDF)
- From SecEd, May 2007 - A dialogue on crime : Pupils aged 13 and 14 were polled about gun and knife crime using discreet handheld voting devices at their school, writes Jan Nevill. (PDF)
- From Wembley Kingsbury Times, May 2007
One Comment on “School pupils prefer anonymity – Qwizdom handhelds afford that luxury”
Samantha Clarke says:
I agree that for PSHE and Citizenship Qwizdom can be an excellent tool for gaining honest opinions and feelings from the students. In my experience as a primary teacher you often have objectives of what you want to get out of a circle time session about a certain issue in the class but often it is difficult to get the truth when the children are talking in front of their peers and their teacher, due to embarrassment and maybe “getting in trouble”. Children often know what they are “supposed” to say and what their views are “supposed” to be on certain issues rather than what they actually believe coming out. With the anonymity of the handsets, and the idea that it is just a game, I think children are more likely to let their true feelings and views come through without fearing what others will say or think.
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:05 am |
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