This spring, McGill is launching a new student response system: Vevox—a powerful, flexible, and user-friendly polling tool designed to support interactive teaching and student engagement across in-person, online, and blended learning environments.
Vevox will replace our current polling platform, Slido, and comes with several key advantages: it’s easy to use, works seamlessly across all devices and operating systems, and offers a wide range of question types. Instructors can use Vevox to check for understanding, gather anonymous feedback, or simply increase participation in larger classes.
Below, we’ve answered some of the most common questions instructors may have as we make this transition.
Why the change?
As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure a sustainable and cost-effective polling tool, we have selected Vevox as a more financially viable long-term solution. We made the decision to transition after careful evaluation and consultation with instructors and instructional support staff.
We have listened to your feedback and are confident that Vevox’s features will better serve your teaching and engagement needs. The decision was guided by a few key factors:
- Instructor feedback: Many of the enhancements instructors requested, like mathematical notation, myCourses integration, and more flexible question types, are now available.
- Long-term sustainability: Vevox offers a more financially viable solution. We’re pleased to confirm that we have secured a long-term contract with Vevox. This means the tool is here to stay and will be supported well into the future.
What are some key features that I can still expect?
While Vevox introduces several new capabilities, it retains all the core tools instructors have come to rely on. You can continue to:
- Run live polls during class to spark participation
- Create multiple-choice, open-text, and word cloud questions
- Host anonymous or identified polls, depending on your needs
- Facilitate live Q&A sessions with moderation options
- Embed polls directly into PowerPoint slides (Mac and PC)
- Access reports and participation data after each session
- Use the platform on any device—no app required
What are some of the new features that Slido did not have?
Vevox expands your options for interaction and engagement with tools that go beyond what Slido could offer. Here are some exciting standout additions:
- Mathematical notation support: Ideal for STEM courses.
- Ready-to-use/pre-set up sample polls: Access a library of pre-built polls and templates to save setup time and spark inspiration.
- Hotspot and XY scatterplot questions: Explore more dynamic and visual polling question types.
- Demographic comparison tools: Easily explore trends in student responses.
- AI-generated questions: Instantly generate engaging poll ideas to save time and spark participation
- Leaderboards: Motivate students with a fun, competitive element that displays top performers.
- Response feedback: Let students give quick feedback after responding to a poll to help you gauge clarity and engagement.
- Multilingual input support: Engage students in their preferred language.
- Deeper analytics and reporting: Track engagement, participation, and trends with ease.
- myCourses integration: Integrate Vevox polls directly within your myCourses course and track participation and performance in Grades.
What features does Slido have that Vevox does not?
None. Vevox meets or exceeds Slido’s capabilities in every key area while offering additional functionality, better integration, and a more robust support structure.
How can I transfer my Slido polling questions to Vevox?
We want to make this transition as seamless as possible. If you’ve built polls in Slido that you’d like to continue using, there are a few ways to transfer them to Vevox:
- Manually rebuild your polls in Vevox by copying and pasting the content from Slido
- Export your Slido questions as a CSV file and adapt the format for import into Vevox
- Leverage Vevox’s sample poll templates or AI question generator to speed up setup (where applicable)
TLS will support you by offering:
- One-on-one consultations to work through your specific course needs
- Step-by-step setup guides for exporting from Slido and building in Vevox
- Live webinars covering the transition and showcasing key features
Where do I get started with Vevox?
You can begin preparing for Summer or Fall courses now. Here’s how:
- Log in to Vevox (select “Log in with Microsoft” and enter your McGill credentials) and prepare polling questions for Summer/Fall 2025.
- Learn more about Polling @ McGill with Vevox.
- Transfer your Slido polls to Vevox.
- Register for the upcoming webinar on May 21st Getting Started with Polling @ McGill’s latest platform: Vevox.
- Book a consultation with a TLS staff member.
Finally…
We want to acknowledge the time and care instructors put into designing meaningful polling questions. These questions aren’t just “clicker moments” but valuable teaching tools that support engagement, deepen learning, and build community. We recognize the effort that goes into crafting them, and we’re confident that Vevox will be a platform worthy of that investment.
If you have any questions or need any help, don’t hesitate to reach out. Happy polling!
Image credit: Adapted from Jamie Lopes via Unslpash.com
