Voting is a simple way to begin and conclude a discussion and gives the lesson a clear focal point. A vote can be very useful way to capture the group’s feelings before and after the discussion in order to gauge how much or how little their opinions have changed.
You can choose what type of vote it would be best to use, depending on the learning objectives and the issue under discussion. A public vote where everyone sees the voting process can be fun and inclusive. However, a secret vote may be more suitable if the issue is very sensitive or you want to encourage ‘honest’ voting where opinion is less likely to be influenced by peer pressure.
‘Hands up’ or secret ballots are simple methods to gauge opinion, but here are some different techniques that can be used:
Download PDF (174 Kb) with a summary of voting techniques.