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Teachers Assess Comprehension, Bolster Student Participation with Web App

• By Kanoe Namahoe
• 02/16/12

GoSoapBox has introduced its new learning application, GoSoapBox, designed to encourage student participation and provide educators with a way to assess student comprehension of subject material. The customizable Web-based application is available via desktop or mobile device.

With GoSoapBox, students can ask—and respond to—questions during class. They can also vote for questions that they'd like the teacher to address. Questions receiving the most votes rise to the top of the page. Students respond via their computer, smartphone, or tablet. All interaction is anonymous.

Teachers can also use the app to create polls and quizzes. GoSoapBox provides real-time poll results in graphic form. All data can be exported into a spreadsheet.

Other features of the application include profanity filter, 24-hour access, and a Confusion Barometer, which enables students to alert the teacher when they're having trouble understanding the material.

More than 1,300 instructors have signed up to beta test the application, according to a statement released Tuesday by the company.

"What makes GoSoapBox so valuable is the fact that I get instant feedback on what students are grasping in my English class," said Christin Opreska, a teacher at Northern Lebanon High School in Fredericksburg, Penn. "GoSoapBox has been an incredible tool to pinpoint comprehension gaps when my students are reading independently."

Educators can register for a free 15-day trial or buy a subscription from GoSoapBox's Web site. Subscriptions are available for $15 per month or $90 per year.