using mentimeter to enhance learning in THE CLASSROOM ANDREW BARRON

Mentimeter is an interactive web-based tool that offers real-time engagement and feedback in the classroom through features like polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&A.

Visualize data in the classroom as you engage students, assess learning, and build community.

Mentimeter was initially designed for meetings and business presentations, however due to its versatility and interactive features, it is popular with educators and has been widely adopted in classrooms to enhance student participation and learning.

HOW IT WORKS

  1. Sign up and create a free account at mentimeter.com.
  2. On the homepage, go to "New Menti" to create a new presentation.
  3. Start from scratch, use a template, or import slides to begin creating your presentation. You can also use Mentimeter's AI capabilities.
  4. Select which Mentimeter feature you want to use (note: features marked with a star require a paid account). Create an entire slideshow using Mentimeter or embed slides from Google Slides or PowerPoint.
  5. Build your content.
  6. Preview your presentation.
  7. When you're ready, share the code with students (numerical or QR) to have them access the presentation and complete the assigned task.
  8. Students respond on their devices
  9. Responses populate in real time for discussion and feedback.

This 4-minute tutorial provides an easy-to-follow guide for anyone creating their first Mentimeter presentation, including teachers. Tailor your content to the needs of your lesson.

WAYS To Differentiate Learning

  • Create alternative types of questions for students at different levels, such as open-ended questions that require deeper thinking for advanced students and multiple-choice or true/false questions that test functional knowledge for students at an earlier stage.
  • Assign different topics or tasks to small groups based on need.
  • Let students participate anonymously or keep responses private to create a more inclusive classroom and allow for 1:1 feedback.
  • Give students the option of how they wish to respond by allowing them to pick from Mentimeter's different features.

SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES Lesson Plan IDEA

Historical Event Analysis: When teaching a major historical event, such as the American Revolution or Civil War, use Mentimeter to facilitate student engagement before, during, and after the lesson.

Before: Use the word cloud feature to have students come up with as many words they can think of related to the event being studied. What do they know about it? How does it make them feel? What connections can they make to things they have already learned?

During: Use the multiple choice feature to assess students' understanding of important information as the lesson progresses.

After: Use the open-ended question feature to have students analyze the causes and/or impact of the event, leading to productive debate and setting the stage for follow-up lessons. This could be used as an exit ticket or a larger classroom activity to spark meaningful dialogue after the initial lecture.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASSESSMENT

Mentimeter provides many opportunities for formative and summative assessments. Here are just a few examples of how you can use Mentimeter in your classroom to assess learning.

Recall Quiz: Assess students' knowledge of important information by giving them a short quiz. Quizzes can be multiple choice or short answer.

Open-Ended Response: Have students answer open-ended questions to see how they are thinking about a particular issue.

Exit Ticket: Assess what students learned that day by having them submit a quick answer to a concluding question.

Student responses are tracked to provide data on patterns and trends, helping teachers identify common misconceptions and areas where more instruction is needed.

Standards

Mentimeter can be used to address and meet the following standards:

  • International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
  • Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
  • Connecticut Common Core of Teaching (CCT)
ISTE for students
  • 1.1 Empowered Learner Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
  • 1.3 Knowledge Constructor Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
  • 1.4 Innovative Designer Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
  • 1.5 Computational Thinker Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
  • 1.6 Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
  • 1.7 Global Collaborator Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.
ISTE for educators
  • 2.1 Learner Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others, and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to boost student learning.
  • 2.2 Leader Educators seek opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning.
  • 2.4 Collaborator Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practice, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.
  • 2.5 Designer Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability.
  • 2.6 Facilitator Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.
  • 2.7 Analyst Educators understand and use data to drive their instruction and support students in achieving their learning goals.
CCSS
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCT
  • Domain 1: Classroom Environment, Student Engagement, and Commitment to Learning Teachers promote student engagement, independence and
  • interdependence in learning and facilitate a positive learning community.
  • Domain 2: Planning for Active Learning Teachers plan instruction to engage students in rigorous and relevant learning and to promote their curiosity about the world at large.
  • Domain 3: Instruction for Active Learning Teachers implement instruction to engage students in rigorous and relevant learning and to promote their curiosity about the world at large.

PROS & CONS

Mentimeter is a great tool to enhance learning in the classroom, but it is important to recognize its limitations and potential drawbacks.

PROS
  • Active participation keeps students engaged throughout the lesson and creates a dynamic classroom environment.
  • Student responses provide instant feedback to teachers, allowing them to make quick adjustments and respond in real time.
  • Mentimeter is easy to use and can be integrated with most common teaching platforms (eg, Google Slides, PowerPoint, etc.).
  • Is a creative and productive way for students to use their devices in the classroom, as opposed to insisting on a device-free policy.
CONS
  • Features included with a free account are limited, and many advanced features require a paid account.
  • Though it is easy to create presentations from scratch and modify templates to your needs, the existing templates tend to target business professionals, not teachers.
  • Platform requires students use their personal devices to interact, which may cause distractions and unintended consequences. It also requires classrooms be equipped with internet connectivity, creating a dependency on school WiFi and other technologies.

Alternative Technologies

There are a number of alternative technologies out there with similar functions to Mentimeter. If you still want to explore interactive learning but do not think Mentimeter is the right fit for your classroom, try one of these options instead.

Final Thoughts

In today's educational landscape, it is essential to keep students engaged and to make content relevant to them. Mentimeter is a versatile tool that does both of those things. While initially designed for corporate meetings and presentations, it can be effectively used in the classroom to increase student participation and actively engage learners. It is also a great way to capture quick feedback, allowing teachers to assess their students' learning and to make adjustments in real time. Mentimeter is straightforward and easy to use, and its collaboration with other platforms, such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Office, provides seamless integration with existing teaching materials. There are a few drawbacks to consider before bringing Mentimeter into your classroom, such as its potential for distractions and the reliability on school WiFi and personal devices. These limitations mean the tool is not the best fit for every learning situation. However, in instances where digital interaction, collaboration, and feedback are preferred, Mentimeter is a viable option. That students may encounter Mentimeter in a professional environment outside of school is another advantage of using it in the classroom.

References

  • Council of Chief State School Officers. (2022, November). Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. https://learning.ccsso.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ADA-Compliant-ELA-Standards.pdf
  • Connecticut State Department of Education. (2017). Connecticut's Rubric for Effective Teaching. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/sde/evaluation-and-support/cctrubricforeffectiveteaching2017.pdf
  • International Society for Technology in Education. (n.d.). International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://iste.org/
  • Mentimeter. (n.d.). Mentimeter: Interactive presentations and meetings. Retrieved April 7, 2025, from https://www.mentimeter.com/
  • Mentimeter. (2024, October 29). How to Create Your First Mentimeter Presentation - 4 Minute Crash Course Tutorial [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W79AXvYVjQs

Credits:

Created with images by THANANIT - "Rear view of Audience in raise hand up response for answer the question in the meeting room or conference hall over asian speaker on the stage,seminar business and education concept" • STOATPHOTO - "option concept. Paper signpost on a wooden desk." • onephoto - "businessman SURVEY and Results Analysis Discovery Concept assess computer digital online test SURVEY evaluate to questionnaire on poll appraisal and Results Analysis Discovery" • drew - "A man writes a list of pros and cons by hand in a notepad on a desk in order to attempt to foresee potential outcomes of various actions to help an important decision making process" • safri - "Open glass window with reflection sky on high rise building"