What is MS Forms? 

Microsoft Forms is freely available for you to use as part of the MS365 suite at the University. It’s a simple and versatile tool you can apply to teaching and learning. As a student response app, you can use it to support engaging students and check understanding, and it enables you to gather and respond dynamically to feedback, especially with large classes.

It allows you to create as many polls and quizzes as you like and there is no restriction on the number of responses. It can also be used securely with students with University authentication and anonymous response options.

 What can I do with MS Forms? 

You can use Forms to create interactive quizzes, surveys, and polls to incorporate active learning in your face-to-face and online teaching, to support student engagement and inclusivity. 

Here are a few examples of how you can use Forms: 

Community building 

You can use forms to create ice-breaker activities or warm-up questions before or at the start of your teaching session – e.g. invite students to submit an anonymous mood-check or short personal insight before the session, so everyone can contribute and feel seen from the start.

You can also provide a link to a Form on Blackboard and ask students to answer the question(s) to prepare for a session. You can use a Forms quiz as an activity at the beginning of a session to focus your class on the topic. 

Formative assessment and feedback 

Forms is a valuable tool for formative assessment and feedback. It allows you to quickly check students’ understanding through interactive quizzes, polls, and surveys, with auto-marking and live results that support timely feedback and guide classroom discussions. By identifying gaps in knowledge and adjusting teaching in real time, Forms helps improve learning outcomes and keeps students engaged. Results can also be exported for deeper analysis, making it easier to track progress over time.

Inclusive engagement and voice

Forms provides a means for all students to contribute fairly, especially in larger classes where student numbers might pose limitations on equal participation. By allowing students to respond digitally, Forms helps level the playing field – giving every voice a chance to be heard. This approach is particularly beneficial for quieter students who may be less inclined to speak up in traditional classroom settings. The option to submit responses anonymously can further encourage engagement, fostering a more inclusive and interactive learning environment.

Active learning and reflection

Forms can help you connect with students during the session so they feel more involved. You can set up activities to gain or maintain attention and interest, use them at strategic points to break up the session, or generate discussions by analysing student responses together. These strategies enhance engagement and deepen understanding, allowing you to sustain attention and adapt your teaching based on real-time feedback. Forms supports this by keeping students engaged while offering valuable insights for you, creating a more dynamic and responsive learning environment that encourages both participation and meaningful reflection.

Gathering insight for continuous improvement

Encourage students to share feedback after key sessions to inform and improve future practice – demonstrating that their voices are heard and valued.

 For step-by-step guidance, please see the TEL support guide on MS Forms for teaching and learning.