Zoom Polls & Quizzes

Description

Zoom polls and quizzes are created directly within the Zoom platform to allow a meeting host, co-host, or alternative host to gather information from and share information with meeting participants to increase student engagement. Polls and quizzes may be created prior to (recommended) or during a Zoom meeting and reused in future meetings. 

Poll and quiz question types include: single choice, multiple choice, matching, rank order, short answer, long answer, fill in the blank, and a rating scale.  Zoom polls are converted into a quiz by setting a correct answer. 

Access

To create and access Zoom polls log in to the Zoom web portal with your UWNet ID and password. Do not use the Canvas-Zoom integration for this process as it has less functionality. 

Enable Zoom polls and quizzes

In Settings, under the Meeting tab, scroll down to or click on In Meeting (Basic) to jump to the In Meeting (Basic) settings. 

Within the In Meeting (Basic) settings section, locate Meeting Polls/Quizzes. Use the toggle switch to enable polls.  Recommended secondary settings are listed and described below. 

1. Check Allow images uploaded in polls/quizzes to be displayed to allow hosts to upload images to poll questions. Changing this setting will affect existing and new polls/quizzes. Uploaded images must be either a JPEG or PNG with a maximum size of 2 MB.
2. Check Allow alternative host to add or edit polls and quizzes to allow alternative hosts to add, edit, and download polls in a meeting.
3. Uncheck Require answers to be anonymous. Requiring anonymous answers means hosts's response reports will not include student names. Participant responses are always anonymous to other participants. 
4. Check Allow host to create breakout rooms from poll results. This does not require the host to use this feature, it only provides the option. 

After making any changes to these settings, click Save. 

See also Enabling Polling for Meetings (Zoom support)

Application and Limitations

Zoom polls and quizzes are used to engage learners and increase active online learning. Zoom polls allow instructors to capture and share information with students, creating the opportunity to build community for remote learners. Zoom quizzes offer instant feedback to instructors and learners about submitted student responses. 

• Polls and quizzes can be created within Surveys or by clicking the title of the scheduled meeting and clicking the + Create button under the Polls/Quizzes tab.  
  
  
• Only the original meeting host, by default, can edit or add polls during a meeting. Transferring the host or co-host role to another user will allow that user to launch polls that have already been created only. An alternative host can add or edit polls, but the host must enable this setting when selecting the alternative host. 
  
  
• Only five of the eight available quiz question types can generate immediate feedback. These question types are single choice, multiple choice, ranking, matching, and fill in the blank. 

For the best polling experience, make sure your version of Zoom is at the Global minimum version or higher. 

Avoid these Pitfalls

• Ensure the meeting polls/quizzes feature is enabled in the Zoom meeting settings prior to starting the meeting. Once it is enabled, you will see Polls/Quizzes as a separate Meetings tab. 

• Well in advance of starting the meeting, ensure the polls/quizzes you need are identifiable and accessible. Polls and quizzes are stored in Surveys. Locate Surveys in the menu on the left side of the Zoom web portal. 
  

• Polls and quizzes may be relaunched (reused) within the same meeting. Doing so will overwrite the original results. Hosts will see the warning below when attempting to relaunch a poll.

If you need to keep the original results, either download them before relaunching the poll/quiz or use a duplicate poll/quiz (recommended). 

Poll and Quizzes Best Practices

• Polls and quizzes should be only long enough to fulfill their purpose. Most polls and quizzes contain one question.
• Keep the poll questions simple and correct sources of possible question misinterpretation. 
• Write polling questions that will benefit the learner's experience. For example, a poll or quiz may help build community, determine learning gaps, increase learner confidence, etc.
• Let students know how to interact with the polls or quizzes, whether or not their responses will be anonymous to the host (always anonymous to other participants) how long they will have to complete it, and if you will share the poll results or correct quiz answers with them. 
• Prior to the meeting, determine the appropriate number of polls/quizzes and their placement throughout your meeting for maximum impact. 
• Use the information gathered from polls/quizzes to direct instruction or enhance learner experience.

Resources

UW-Madison Zoom - Getting Started

Conducting polls in meetings

Understanding question types for surveys, polls, and quizzes

Managing Zoom Surveys as a user

Recommended Zoom settings for hosts