Vevox at DTU

How do you keep over 170 STEM students engaged in a demanding and complex subject like molecular biology?

In this webinar, Fraser Hill (Senior Customer Success Manager at Vevox) talks with Esperanza Rivera de Torre (Associate Professor at the Technical University of Denmark — DTU) about how DTU, through a two-year partnership with Vevox, has successfully integrated the solution to transform large lectures into dynamic, high-efficiency learning spaces. You can also watch the webinar on Vevox’ YouTube channel.

The Challenge: Teaching Fatigue and Declining Attendance

When Esperanza took over a large molecular biology course, she faced the challenges that often characterize large university environments:

Extensive syllabus: Students found the extensive textbook reading assignments overwhelming, causing many to show up unprepared or skip class altogether.
Passive learning: The traditional two-hour lecture blocks meant students lost focus and struggled to connect theory with practical engineering applications.
Reliance on self-study: A drop in class attendance left students feeling disconnected and vulnerable to poorer exam results.

The Approach: Micro-Lectures and Live Polling

Rather than scrapping the lecture format entirely, Esperanza introduced a minimal adjustment that delivered huge results, by breaking a two-hour block into shorter, active cycles:

Relevant introductions: Segments open with a fast-paced example from biotech or industry.
Vevox breaks: Every 20 minutes, the traditional lecture is interrupted by a Vevox interaction.
Varied poll formats: Go beyond standard multiple-choice questions and use polls that involve marking a picture, ranking lists visually, and open text questions to stimulate creativity and discussion among students.

“Active learning doesn’t increase the workload. On the contrary, it can lead to a more effective way of learning.”

Esperanza Rivera de Torre, Associate Professor at DTU

The Result: Higher Grades, Less Workload

The shift to interactive, Vevox-based lectures brought measurable improvements across the board:

Better exam grades: Comparing year-on-year data, the class average rose by almost a full grade point, with a marked shift toward the highest possible grades (10 and 12 on the Danish scale).
Shorter preparation time: Students reported that the new active structure actually reduced the time they felt they needed to spend studying outside class.
Sustained attention: Live polling forced students to stay attentive, filling the lecture hall with energy and making them look forward to solving problems together.

Watch the Webinar

Learn more about DTU’s approach to scalability, pre-class peer-feedback systems, and how to effectively use live polling without increasing your teaching workload.