[techtalk] WEB TOOL – Make Your Presentations Dynamic Using Mentimeter Polls

Tue Jul 23 14:38:55 PDT 2024

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Involve your audience with interactive questions

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Webinars for You

NOTE: All webinars begin at 3 pm ET / 2 pm CT / 1 pm MT / 12 Noon PT and are one hour long.

·     July 24: [EXCEL] Mastering Spreadsheet Magic: Typical Formula Techniques

·     August 7: [GRAPHICS] CANVA: A Beginner's Guide to Designing Graphics Like a Pro

·     August 21: [OFFICE] Unlocking the Power of Office 365 Web: Seamless Transition and Productivity

·     September 11: [WEB TOOLS] 3 Tools to Create Your Own Personal Scheduling System

View Webinars and Register Here<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PUhfhUzDTw1TNK_QAEpyNMOnGEy2QKZTa0yLeH1oFFh3JxiB-SjVvGmvUTyNTK--LW63k9SXG7Mr6r-xcdBcVwwD0Qyv1r80hHM5X2bC_0dcDVcATzkdLzw=&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==>

WEB TOOL - Make Your Presentations Dynamic Using Mentimeter Polls

Intermediate

When you are presenting to a live audience or in a virtual setting, you want to make sure that you're holding the attendee’s attention, right? You want your presentation to be engaging and participatory.

One way to do this is through interactive polls. Whether in a meeting or classroom, a quick questionnaire that displays live answers can transform a passive audience into active participants.

[A screen displays a poll asking "What meetings do you prefer?" with bar graphs showing results: Remote (blue), In-person (pink), Hybrid (red). A phone screen shows the same poll, with a user selecting "Hybrid" and tapping the submit button.]

We found a cool web tool (with a free level) that makes it easy to create a poll where the participants can respond to questions right from their device. Then you can display the answers or results instantly.

TIP: There are even add-ins that work right inside Microsoft PowerPoint, Teams and Zoom!

First, let's look at some strategies and ideas on how you can leverage polls in your presentations or classroom.

·     As an Icebreaker - Start with a fun or light-hearted question to warm up the audience. For example, "Which superpower would you choose?"

·     Knowledge Checks - Quiz the audience on key points you've covered or will cover. This helps reinforce learning and keeps the audience attentive.

[A bar graph titled "What qualities do you think are important for a leader to have?" shows four bars of varying heights. "Inspirational" is the shortest in green, "Qualified" is slightly taller in red, "Honest" is taller in purple, and "Positive" is the tallest in pink.]
·     Opinions and Preferences - Ask for the audience's insights on a topic. For instance, "Which of these solutions do you think is the most effective?" This can lead to interesting discussions and debates.

·     Predictive Polls - Before presenting data or findings, ask the audience to predict the results. This engages them and makes them more invested in the outcome.

·     Feedback on Content - Gather reactions on the presentation itself. Questions like "How clear was this section?" or "Would you like more detail on this topic?" can help you adjust your presentation in real-time.

·     Post-Presentation Questions - Once concluded, use polls to gather feedback on the overall experience. Ask, "On a scale of 1 – 10, how satisfied are you with today's presentation?" This can provide valuable insights for future improvements.

Create Polls with Mentimeter.com

Mentimeter is an online tool that provides the platform to add polls, quizzes, word clouds, Q&A sessions, and other interactive elements to presentation slides.

[An image illustrating various audience engagement tools. From left to right: "Dynamic word clouds" with colorful elements, "Live & instant polling" with a bar graph, "Entertaining quizzes" with a trophy, "Informative Q&As" with chat icons, and "Insightful surveys" with a mobile phone.]

Audience members can respond using their smartphones, tablets, or laptops, making it easy to collect and display responses instantly. This tool can be used in educational, corporate, and conference settings to enhance the interactivity of presentations.

Let's take a look at how to use this app:1) right in the online platform and 2) as an add-in for PowerPoint. NOTE: At the end of the article see links on how to use it in Teams and Zoom as well.

Get Started Using Mentimeter

[The image shows the Mentimeter logo, which includes the name "Mentimeter" in black text. To the left of the text, there are three vertical bar-like shapes in pink, red, and blue arranged from shortest to tallest.]

First, go to https://www.mentimeter.com<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PfeBmk5rqg47EjxG-UQ-gHeCgbRvezK8Q8gQZMX7ROUwWgPPUQBk5X8eqto2hZM4bblQb_gSZ_SgBBDdmEc6p4ChVJ5ee94Nx9LuDR0R2s_c&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==> and click the Sign up button to create an account. You won't need to enter payment info if you select the Free level.

Each time you log in, you're taken to your account's Home page where you can view your current polls, quizzes, etc… or create new ones. NOTE: They call each of these a "Menti."

A Menti is started from: 1) scratch, 2) a template, or 3) duplicate an existing one.

Build Your Poll and Present WITHIN Mentimeter

If you want to use the Mentimeter platform to create your slideshow presentation with a poll in it, you can! This tool has a built-in presentation option where you can create and share slides right within the tool. This can be handy if you are not using PowerPoint or another integration.

·     In the Home screen, in the left menu click on My Presentations and then click the New Menti button.

·     Next, you can choose to Start from scratch, Use a template or Import slides (a PowerPoint, Keynote or PDF). We're going to select a template for this example.

·     If you start from scratch, you will be prompted to select from the Interactive questions list (Multiple Choice, Open Ended, Q&A, etc…) and add your question and response options.

·     If you're using a template, you can tweak the content for your use.

The platform is easy to use. In the image below, you'll see:

1.  Thumbnails of slides in the left column.
2.  The slide you're working on in the middle displays the content.
3.  In the right Content area, the question and response options.

[A screenshot of a course expectation survey presentation. A slide titled "What are your expectations for today's class?" features response options on a scale from "Strongly disagree" to "Strongly agree." A QR code is displayed on the left for participants to scan.]

Before presenting, click the Preview button in the upper toolbar (looks like an eye) to view how the slide will look to your audience.

Of course, there are other options to view test results, configure how the results are shown, and more. Play around with the options to personalize your poll and slides.

When your slides and quiz/polls are ready, click the Present button (in the upper right corner) for options to Present live on your screen or in Microsoft Teams. Your audience can interact in a few ways:

·     On the screen they will see a QR code that they can scan with a mobile device and then be taken to the poll page where they can participate. (If this is not showing on the slide use the keyboard shortcut by pressing the letter “I”
·     Or, on the screen it will show a message to Join at menti.com and they will see a code to enter when they go to that page.
·     Additionally, each presentation has a voting link that you can share with your audience. This is found in the presentation Share button options.

[A presentation slide from Mentimeter asks about pre-existing knowledge on a topic. It includes a QR code, a join link (menti.com), and a code (8179 8064). There are four options with zero responses: "A little bit," "Taken a basic course," "Have a strong understanding," and "Already know everything.]

As attendees vote, results are shown live on the screen.

Build Your Poll and Integrate with PowerPoint

If you use PowerPoint and want to stay in this app while presenting, you can add the Mentimeter add-in. Go to the Microsoft App Store and follow the directions to download it on this page<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PfeBmk5rqg47aeuwSCCDMbCThkneAggzPXwIMUrG01AE_KJf3sykLWuzLmdZIxQ9XrI0QvgzEU9wblpVvrzWowglpRRi8w95OyWnW-LgnwvhFgeksxFjMIs4Ak7JJEryqig3dMyL1qYbdB9wKmg7eq2KIjjJNZmkx6n5JZpAC7gBTiXE7CaAn-o=&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==>.

Although you can build polls right in PowerPoint, the settings are a bit limited. It is easier to create a poll/quiz in Mentimeter and then integrate it into a PowerPoint slide.

·     After downloading the add-in, open PowerPoint and a slide where you want to display the poll (or other Menti). TIP: It's best to use a blank slide.

·     On the Home tab, go to Add-ins and choose Mentimeter.

[Screenshot of Microsoft PowerPoint interface showing the Add-ins menu. The Add-ins button in the toolbar is highlighted, and a dropdown menu with add-ins options is visible. An arrow points to the "My Add-ins" section where available add-ins are displayed.]

·     If you are not already signed into your Mentimeter account, follow the prompt on the screen to do so.

·     Select to create a New Menti or Use an existing Menti.

·     In you select New, you can create and customize questions directly within PowerPoint, without the need to switch back and forth between the apps.

·     If you want to use a Menti created in the online app, scroll down the screen to find the question you already set up to add it to the slide. NOTE: Don't worry about how the question looks in the slide (too small or cut off), when you are in presentation mode it will fill up the slide.

·     In either case (new or existing), Mouse over the screen on the right to see the side panel. NOTE: Even though you created the poll/quiz in the online app, you can still make changes to it.

[A screenshot of a survey form titled "What are your expectations for today's class?" It has a QR code and options to select from, including learning a lot, discussing the subject, having fun, and acing the test. A sidebar shows menu options like Account, Content, Design, and Settings.]

·     In the Content area, add or edit the question and selections and make changes to the dimensions.

[Screenshot of a survey creation interface. The user can enter a question and additional details. Four statements for rating are listed: "I am looking to learn a lot," "I want to discuss this subject," "I just want to have fun," and "I want to ace the test." A rating scale from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree) is shown.]
·     The Design tab lets you adjust the visualization type, theme and layout preferences.

[A user interface of Mentimeter's design settings is shown. Options include selecting visualization type, visual theme with options to import from PowerPoint or use a Mentimeter theme, layout preferences like vote instructions, questions, results, QR code, and font size adjustment.]

·     And in Settings you have language options.

Display Your Menti

Now, when you get to the slide in your presentation and are ready for your attendees to participate:

·     Click the button to Start Menti and this makes the question live.

·     To participate, your attendees can either follow the instructions at the top to "Join at menti.com and use code XXXXX" or they can use a smart device to scan the QR code (if displayed) and they will be directed to the survey.

·     Once they click submit, the answers show up on the screen in real-time.

·     NOTE: As the presenter, when viewing the poll slide, you can click the person icon in the bottom right for options in the lower the lower left of the screen.

[An online survey slide titled "What are your expectations for today’s class?" includes four statements with corresponding average ratings: learning a lot (3.7), discussing the subject (2.3), having fun (5.1), and acing the test (1.7). A QR code and use code 1276 1420 are provided.]

Additional Add-ins

In addition to the PowerPoint add-in, if you work in MS Teams or Zoom, you can integrate Mentimeter into these platforms as well. See the instructions in these articles:

Mentimeter for Microsoft Teams, https://help.mentimeter.com/en/articles/5259075-mentimeter-for-microsoft-teams<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PfeBmk5rqg47cn-Q4UN4FLd0SS7nQZoQe0Tp9zn-qNZTBtWqdXzFliZ4QJUa3OQLYtNWiETkBd4Zo05P9jH1DlNtlyYSMQG1-Hj6h7zXN1UTSIdGALs0SD-JQKJ5OYJI2e5DcZ_oiujtQ_-46Oh-oJlZ2iifNCW5V_rVxujVyvmCTy6QK8kQzro=&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==>

Mentimeter App for Zoom, https://help.mentimeter.com/en/articles/5228027-mentimeter-app-for-zoom<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PfeBmk5rqg47KcGxwn707HT6sv4BRPelWePNrHirN3XN6AtarbglYU8eS0YN2RNZIYmNhwMwQT24kLLsFSt7v9vPH7DletXQvxe_5jmthyXrfm6R5PdloEMmIRHfDBeNGEsb4K7Tgxk7DIAM4ZDG_lzPoWeyc21vIZlMIV4TQQR8&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==>

[A series of smooth, dark stones arranged in a line, half-submerged in calm, reflective water with a soft, gray background.]

Communication: Grammar

Pat and Me or Pat and I?

Humm, here's a puzzle. We know that we choose "me" when it's the object of a preposition; and "I" when it's the subject of the sentence.

So which is right?

"The odds are against Pat and I being able to make our relationship work."

or

"The odds are against Pat and me being able to make our relationship work."

We know that Pat and me are the objects of the preposition against. But at the same time, it feels like Pat and I are the subject of the sentence.

Instead of being technical, here are is a trick for getting the grammar right when you're using two names (or a name and a pronoun): mentally delete the name. Which pronoun is correct?

Example: "The odds are against I being able to..." or

"The odds are against me being able to..."

Works easily, right?

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[Ask a question]<https://opiayfbab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-nUY70LBH8KPuRsL_fLSHlcFhJXztEgFr_pdzASXeAfA4eOt70R9PdtP9H_rZ8S90NI-A2WoLIzcaXeTuYvO40coyAQG5zPSAnNLOaohUE44Ogm3aK8T1SrnhtO0uQP9-OXkP6wRteo_RsS4r-qgEsKtFMGfDbjfrN9f2YhKpr8=&c=b9q4Lrz-_cPLSpJgUSUkZFjgawOxoQILLUyLx3ygSnbf5qc6HdmipQ==&ch=4dFTu_WA-tIaN-kaoefmYc2gwxpO8mNQvyKsmM_IuKpCfNUgOdVYVg==>

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Cheers,
Darci Hanning, MLIS (she/her/hers)
Public Library Consultant / CE Coordinator
Continuing Education Resources: https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/conted
State Library of Oregon | Library Support and Development Services
971-375-3491 | darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:darci.hanning at slo.oregon.gov> | www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>
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