Higher education today faces significant challenges: instructors work to maintain consistent engagement across online, hybrid, and in-person formats, while real-time learning performance data remains limited. Research shows that 72% of students report feeling disengaged during online lectures. This gap is even more pronounced among lower-income students who may have limited access to technology and among learners who feel uncomfortable speaking up in a crowded classroom. Amid these challenges, it is clear that universities need innovative tools and strategies to cultivate active, inclusive environments—regardless of where learning takes place.
At Duke University, leaders like Chris Lorch, Assistant Director of User Services, and Colin Yuckman, Senior Director of Digital Learning Formation and Administrative Faculty at Duke Divinity School, have been at the forefront of adopting technological solutions to close these engagement gaps. One tool in particular, Wooclap, has become a driving force behind deeper student engagement, more inclusive learning experiences, and better real-time assessment. Together with Canvas, Duke’s Learning Management System, Wooclap helps foster dynamic, collaborative classrooms that bolster academic outcomes.
A Need for Active Learning
Traditional lecture-based formats can easily devolve into passive listening sessions. At Duke, however, active learning—where students engage in problem-solving, discussions, and hands-on projects—is the gold standard.
According to Lorch, “We encourage faculty to work backward from what they want students to achieve.” Instead of merely delivering content, Duke instructors aim to spark curiosity and critical thinking.
Wooclap plays a vital role by transforming static lectures into interactive experiences. For instance, a Neuroscience course at Duke uses Wooclap’s “label an image” feature to make theory more tangible. Students click on different parts of the brain to identify functions, turning memorization into meaningful application. “Wooclap is much more than a student response system,” Lorch explains. “It’s about communication, collaboration, and conversation in the classroom.”
Now, with seamless integration between Canvas and Wooclap, instructors can embed interactive activities directly into course modules—integrating real-time polls, quizzes, and other activities without the hassle of switching between platforms. This eliminates technological barriers for both faculty and students, making engagement effortless.
Inclusivity Beyond the Lecture Hall
Beyond active learning, inclusivity is crucial. As many as half of the university staff report facing data gaps or difficulties engaging all students when shifting to hybrid modes. Some students are introverted or hesitant to speak up in large settings, while others may struggle with reliable internet access.
Duke’s approach ensures that all students, regardless of background or comfort level, have a voice. By leveraging icebreakers, anonymous polls, quizzes, and other collaboration tools via Wooclap, even the shyest learners are encouraged to participate. “Wooclap provides that opportunity for different levels of engagement,” says Yuckman. “They can participate without having to verbalize that feedback.”
This inclusivity extends beyond traditional classrooms. Yuckman mentions using Wooclap for faculty orientation sessions: “We were able to gather questions anonymously, group them, and answer them effectively.” In doing so, Wooclap broadens the scope of who can ask questions and how. Students can scan a QR code to join the conversation, removing psychological and logistical barriers that sometimes prevent meaningful participation.
Real-Time Feedback and Continuous Assessment
Instructors often lament the lag between teaching a concept and discovering whether students actually understood it. By the time a midterm or final exam reveals widespread confusion, it can be too late to address misconceptions. Low-stakes assessments and immediate feedback loops solve this problem by allowing teachers to adjust lesson plans on the fly.
Yuckman exemplifies this approach with self-paced quizzes at the start of class. Students scan a QR code, complete a quick assessment, and see their collective results in real time. “It fosters discussion and creates a collective learning experience,” he explains. Students can make mistakes without fear of a grade penalty, turning every lesson into a cycle of discovery and improvement.
For Lorch, this ability to pivot is essential. “Immediate, formative assessment is crucial for effective teaching,” he says. By displaying responses on-screen, Wooclap keeps students engaged and encourages them to reflect on their knowledge gaps. This data-driven approach is seamlessly integrated into Canvas, streamlining grading, attendance, and overall course analytics.
Beyond in-class usage, many educators also use Wooclap asynchronously, extending Wooclap’s capabilities to a flipped classroom model. For example, deploying quizzes asynchronously before class allows educators to identify areas of confusion early and tailor face-to-face sessions for deeper, more targeted learning. By harnessing Wooclap’s interactive quizzes and analytics, the flipped classroom approach becomes more data-driven and student-centered. Students arrive better prepared, while instructors can focus class time on the areas that matter most—fostering deeper engagement, collaboration, and understanding.
Why Duke Chose Wooclap—and What Comes Next
Choosing the right technology can make or break engagement efforts. Duke selected Wooclap for its usability, versatility, and robust set of features that go beyond simple polling. According to Lorch, “The Wooclap integration with Canvas has been crucial. It has allowed us to show instructors how Wooclap enhances the capabilities of the LMS.”
This synergistic approach ensures that instructors are not overwhelmed by new interfaces while students get a unified learning experience. By weaving Wooclap into the existing Canvas ecosystem, Duke has created a cohesive, learner-centered environment where technology serves pedagogy—not the other way around.
Hear more about the Duke team's success with Wooclap and Canvas below.
Looking ahead, both Lorch and Yuckman see technology playing an ever-larger role in modern education. However, the key will be choosing solutions that offer genuine enhancements to teaching and learning practices.
Empowering Every Learner, Everywhere
In an era when universities must cater to in-person, online, and hybrid students—and do so with real-time insight—tools like Wooclap and Canvas are game-changers. They help educators transform lectures into interactive experiences (Active Learning), give every student a voice (Inclusivity), and supply immediate data on student understanding (Continuous Assessment & Real-Time Feedback).
The result? A seamless, dynamic learning ecosystem that keeps students engaged, fosters deeper understanding, and strengthens overall academic outcomes. As Duke University’s example shows, bridging the engagement gap isn’t just about adopting new technology—it’s about empowering every student to learn actively and inclusively, wherever they may be.
Join us for the webinar and live discussion to discover how these challenges are being addressed at Duke and Heriot-Watt Universities.
Case Studies