How RMIT University turned presentations into conversations
RMIT has embedded interactivity, collaboration, and student voice into its curriculum across disciplines, from first-year engineering mathematics to MBA programs.
RMIT University isn’t just keeping pace with modern education; it’s actively reshaping it. The university's approach goes well beyond swapping out PowerPoint for something flashier. It’s a carefully considered shift in pedagogy, backed by research, experience, and a bold willingness to experiment. Among the suite of tools and strategies supporting this shift, Mentimeter has emerged as a powerful enabler of real-time engagement and feedback.
"Mentimeter is just one part of the equation, but it’s the tool that lets us see what students are really thinking, right in the moment."
- Kevin Nguyen, Program Manager at the Business School
At RMIT Vietnam, Kevin Nguyen, Program Manager at the Business School, is helping reshape how students learn and how educators teach. His focus? Creating interactive, blended learning experiences that reflect real-world dynamics and support every type of learner.
The guiding principles of RMIT University’s signature pedagogy.
"Whatever we design, it needs to promote student activity. Mentimeter supports active learning where students are partners, not just listeners. They contribute, participate, ask questions, and we build the learning journey together."
- Kevin Nguyen, Program Manager at the Business School
Learning outcomes won’t be achieved without attendance. These kinds of engaging activities motivate students to show up.
In both online and in-person classes, Mentimeter allows students to contribute anonymously, especially important in contexts where speaking up can feel intimidating. "Some students are shy, but they want to engage. With Mentimeter, they can still share their ideas, and that changes everything," Kevin says.
He uses Mentimeter not just for interaction, but to surface common misunderstandings or topics that need to be revisited. "If five or six students ask the same question, we know exactly where the confusion is, and the students see they’re not alone," he explains.
The impact goes beyond the classroom. Many of Kevin’s students are working professionals and have started using Mentimeter in their own workplaces.
"I tell the students that I want to see real engagement in their live presentations in class. Now they use Mentimeter to do just that. They’re also taking those skills into their workplaces."
- Kevin Nguyen, Program Manager at the Business School
When Dr. Kerri Morgan, Senior Lecturer at the School of Science, joined RMIT in 2023 to teach engineering mathematics, she inherited a course of hundreds of first-year students. It was delivered through pre-recorded online content and a weekly face-to-face Q&A. "When I joined, I was told you could count the number of students who showed up on one hand," she recalls.
She quickly replaced the passive Q&A with weekly interactive sessions focused on consolidating learning through active participation - applying knowledge, asking questions, and testing understanding. Each session began with a hook, often a real-world scenario like helping a robot find its way home using vectors. Students then ranked which topics they wanted to explore using Mentimeter, while also submitting ideas, questions, and areas of confusion through polls and open text.
"I started to add options like ‘I think I get it, but I’d like to see you do it’ or ‘I need help’ to my Multiple Choice questions. That really opened up space for honest feedback and reiteration."
- Dr. Kerri Morgan, Senior Lecturer at the School of Science
Kerri combines traditional "chalk and talk" with digital interactivity, switching between Mentimeter and her iPad to guide students step-by-step through complex problems. This interactive approach helps her track students’ learning progress and has significantly boosted participation. "This year I had a class with 298 students. By week 6 or 8, 121 were logging into Mentimeter. These are really good numbers," she says.
Kerri’s approach has challenged traditional expectations of how maths should be taught. Some of her peers were skeptical at first, but her sessions are now being observed by new academics, eager to replicate her success. Yet she’s quick to note the challenges: not everyone is comfortable with letting go of control in such a dynamic format. "One of the biggest challenges is teaching people how to become more engaging teachers within their comfort zone, especially if they come from more traditional ways of teaching," she notes.
Still, the results speak for themselves. Attendance is up. Student engagement scores are strong - over 4.2 out of 5. By blending modern tools with strong teaching instincts, Kerri has not only made maths more accessible - she’s made it more human.
At the School of Management, Senior Lecturer Dr. Jessica Helmi has built a teaching approach grounded in play, interaction, and thoughtful use of technology. With large, diverse classes across Melbourne and Singapore, she needed a way to energize students and give everyone a voice.
Mentimeter quickly became her go-to. Initially drawn to its ease of use and clean interface, Jess has fully integrated it into her teaching over the years, using it for everything from icebreakers and ranking activities to real-time feedback and in-class assessment. Jess has seen a clear shift in classroom behavior: students feel safe to participate, they begin by interacting anonymously, and often become more confident contributors in live discussions as time goes on.
She also credits these interactive elements with boosting attendance. In her words, "Learning outcomes won’t be achieved without attendance. These kinds of engaging activities motivate students to show up."
Jess has become a vocal advocate for the tool, helping colleagues get started and sharing her own use cases. And while she’s passionate about technology, her philosophy is grounded in something simpler: making learning joyful and participatory.
"I believe in playful learning. If I’m not enjoying the session, neither are my students. That’s why I love Mentimeter and why it’s become one of my favorite EdTech tools."
- Dr. Jessica Helmi, Senior Lecturer at the School of Management
These educators’ stories reflect a broader truth: learning doesn’t just happen because content is delivered; it happens when participation is designed into the experience.
At RMIT, Mentimeter became a cornerstone tool for creating learning moments that turn presentations into conversations, empowering students to take an active role in their education and enabling educators to better understand their learners.
It’s about making learning brain-friendly, participatory, and practical, ensuring that even in large cohorts, every student can find their voice and every educator can learn more about what their students are really thinking.