At a Glance

Poll Everywhere is a web and SMS text-messaging student response system that teaching teams can use to collect and display real-time responses that students provide with a laptop or mobile device.

In this guide for students, you’ll learn how to respond to a Poll Everywhere polling activity via your web browser, the Poll Everywhere app for iOS and Android devices, or SMS text messaging.

Use Cases

During class, your instructor displays a Poll Everywhere activity on-screen and prompts you to respond with your device(s). After student responses are collected, your instructor may decide to share the results live on the screen for the class to discuss. Alternatively, your instructor may use Poll Everywhere to take attendance, assess your understanding of a concept or lesson, and generally use it to make learning more engaging.

Read through the following guide before your live class session so you’re ready to participate.

How to Respond Using Your Web Browser

  1. Open a web browser on your laptop or mobile device (e.g., Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari).
  2. Go to https://www.pollev.com/ in your browser.
  3. When provided, type in the presenter’s username (i.e., pollev.com/username) [1] and click Join [2].
    Enter the instructor's username and click Join
  4. Optional – If pre-registration is required:
    • If the presenter requires pre-registration, a Pre-registration required message will appear.
    • Click the Log in button.
      Click the Log in with SSO button
    • Login using your MIT Kerberos credentials.
  5. When the presenter activates a poll, you’ll be able to respond in real time.
    Example poll

How to Respond Using the Poll Everywhere App

Download and Install the Poll Everywhere App on Your Mobile Device

You can download Poll Everywhere for iOS or Android to respond to polls on your mobile device.

Respond Using the Poll Everywhere App

  1. Open the Poll Everywhere app on your iOS or Android device.
  2. To login using your MIT Kerberos credentials, do the following:
    • Tap the Login button at the bottom of the screen.
      Tap Login
    • In the Login field, type your MIT email address (e.g., username@mit.edu) [1] and click Next [2].
      Enter your MIT email address and click Next
    • Tap the Log in with MIT button.
      Click Log in with MIT
    • Login using your MIT Kerberos credentials.
    • After logging in, the Home screen will load.
      Home Screen
  3. When provided, type in the presenter’s username (i.e., pollev.com/username) [1] and click Join [2].
    Enter the instructor's username and click Join
  4. When the presenter activates a poll, you’ll be able to respond in real time.
    Example Poll

How to Respond Using SMS Text Messaging (If Enabled)

Multiple choice activities and open-ended questions can receive text message responses if the presenter enables it.

Note:

  • Clickable images, Q&A, ranking, surveys, and competitions CANNOT accept text responses.
  • If the presenter requires pre-registration, text message responses will NOT be accepted. You should instead respond via your web browser or the Poll Everywhere app.

Respond via SMS Text Messaging on Your Mobile Device

  1. First, you’ll need to join the presenter’s session to respond via text message. To join a session, text the presenter’s username to the number (e.g., 22333) provided on the presenter’s screen.
    • Note:
      • Usernames (with no spaces) are NOT case sensitive.
      • You may or may not receive a message back indicating that you’ve successfully joined the presenter’s session.
      • You only need to join the session once by text.
  2. When a multiple-choice question is activated by the presenter, you can respond by texting one of the provided options (usually A, B, C, etc.) to the same text message thread.

How to Get Support

Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere provides end-user support as part of MIT’s Enterprise license. If you have questions about using Poll Everywhere and its features, you can contact them directly by:​

Information Systems and Technology (IS&T)

Email polleverywhere@mit.edu for any questions related to:

  • Presenter licenses
  • Accounts
  • Teams