Most people in a lecture have a question they never ask. The reasons are social, not intellectual: the fear of looking wrong in front of the group, the size of the room, the pace of the lecture. Each barrier has a fix. Diaposi Session removes the first one, because every question a participant sends is anonymous and can be voted up by the others.
Who is the silent majority?
In most lectures a handful of people ask nearly all the questions. The rest are not without questions. They have them and keep them, and they often assume they are the only one who did not follow. The presenter, hearing nothing, assumes the opposite. Both are wrong, and the lecture moves on.
Why do people not ask?
- Fear of looking wrong in front of the group.
- Not wanting to interrupt a lecture that is in full flow.
- The size of the room. The larger it is, the higher the cost of speaking.
- Not knowing how to phrase it. Confusion is hard to turn into a question on the spot.
- Thinking the question is only theirs.
- Timing. By the time questions are invited, the moment has passed.
What removes each barrier?
Anonymity removes the first three: nobody is seen, nobody interrupts, and the size of the room stops mattering. A written channel helps with phrasing, because a question can be typed, reread and sent. Upvotes show people that their question is shared. Collecting questions all session fixes the timing.
The practical setup is in anonymous Q&A during a presentation, and the people it helps most are described in how to get quiet participants to join in.
How Diaposi Session helps
In Diaposi Session every question is anonymous and can be sent at the slide that raised it. Other participants vote it up if they share it, and the one the room rallies behind rises onto your screen on its own. Participants also see how the whole room is doing, slide by slide, so they know when they are not the only ones stuck.
Diaposi Session is part of Diaposi, the EdTech platform for interactive and measurable learning. Discover Diaposi Session
Frequently asked questions
Does asking “any questions?” at the end of a lecture work?
- Rarely. It comes when the moment has passed and asks people to speak in front of everyone. Collecting questions throughout the session, in writing and anonymously, brings in far more of them.
Do anonymous questions lower the quality of questions?
- No. Removing the fear of looking wrong mostly brings out basic questions, and basic questions are the ones a room needs answered. Upvotes then show which ones are widely shared.
Is Diaposi free?
- Yes. Diaposi is free, and there is no paid plan today.
