Most random name pickers treat calling on students like a lottery: a name appears out of nowhere, and the student is put on the spot. That's cold calling - and while it ensures random selection, it often catches students off-guard and leads to lower-quality responses.
PrepPanel takes a different approach called warm calling. Students can see their position in the queue before they're called on. The student who's "On Deck" knows they're next and uses that time to prepare. The result? More thoughtful answers, less anxiety, and better classroom discussions.
For the research behind this approach, see our blog post: Warm Calling vs. Cold Calling.
Before You Start
- PrepPanel installed with at least one section set up
- A roster of student names added to that section
- New to PrepPanel? Start with the Getting Started guide first
Understanding the Queue Display
When you open PrepPanel with a roster loaded, you'll see the lineup display. It shows three positions at once - each serving a specific purpose in the warm calling flow:
- 1 Up Next - This student is being called on right now. Their name is displayed large so the entire class can see it on the projected screen.
- 2 On Deck - This student knows they're next. They're actively preparing their response while the current student answers.
- 3 Also Getting Ready - Third in line. This gives students even more lead time to organize their thoughts, especially for complex questions.
This is the warm calling advantage. Nobody is ambushed. Students see their turn approaching and use that time to prepare a thoughtful response. Research shows this produces longer, higher-quality answers and reduces participation anxiety.
Running a Session - Mark Complete
Here's the basic flow during a lesson:
- Ask your question to the class
- Give everyone a moment of think time
- Call on the student who's Up Next
- Let them respond fully
- Click "Mark Complete" to advance the queue
- 1 When you click Mark Complete, three things happen instantly: Marcus moves to the "picked" list, Priya becomes the new Up Next, and James moves to On Deck. A new student fills the Getting Ready slot.
Ask your question before drawing attention to who's Up Next. This gives the entire class think time - not just the student who's on deck. "Everyone think about this... [pause] ... Marcus, what do you think?"
Logging Participation Quality
When you click "Mark Complete" in the side panel, the dashboard automatically shows the Tracker tab with the student who just responded. This is where you privately log how their participation went.
PrepPanel Dashboard
Marcus
1- 1 Student name - The student who just responded. This updates automatically when you advance the queue.
- 2 Participation quality buttons - Click the level that best describes their response. These logs appear in your Reports tab for later review.
- 3 Secondary actions - Skip a student who isn't ready, reset the lineup, or undo your last log if you made a mistake.
Remember: the dashboard is your private view. Students only see the side panel. They never see how you've rated their participation.
The default buttons are "Met," "Exceeded," and "Struggled" - but you can rename these to match your own rubric. Click "Customize response buttons" on the dashboard's Tracker tab to change the labels, colors, and number of options.
Skipping a Student
Sometimes a student needs to pass - they're not ready, they're having a tough day, or the question doesn't fit. Click "Skip Student" on the dashboard (or skip from the side panel).
When you skip, the student moves to the end of the queue. They'll come back around later, giving them more time to prepare. The next student immediately moves into the Up Next position.
Frame skipping as a normal part of the process with your class: "That's okay, we'll circle back to you." Students appreciate knowing they won't be forced to speak when they're not ready, and they're more likely to volunteer when they know the system is fair.
Undoing the Last Action
Logged the wrong participation level? Clicked "Mark Complete" too soon? Hit "Undo Last" on the dashboard. It reverses the most recent action - the student moves back to their previous position in the queue, and any logged participation is removed.
Managing Absent Students
Absent students shouldn't appear in your queue. You can mark anyone absent from the roster list at the bottom of the side panel.
Roster Status
- 1 Absent student - Name is crossed out and grayed. They've been removed from the queue automatically and won't be called on.
- 2 Mark Present - Student showed up late? Click to bring them back. They'll rejoin the queue in a random position.
Take attendance in PrepPanel at the start of class, before you begin calling on students. This way, absent students never appear in your queue and you won't have to skip them.
Resetting the Queue
When all students have been called - or whenever you want a fresh shuffle - click "Reset Lineup."
This creates a brand new random order from all present students who haven't been picked yet. If everyone has already been called on, it starts completely fresh with the entire present roster.
The randomization is independent each time - students won't get the same position they had in the previous round.
When you're down to 2-3 students left in the queue, that's a natural signal to either reset the lineup or switch activities. Students notice when the queue is almost empty, and the last few may feel singled out.
Switching Between Sections
When the bell rings and a new class walks in, switch sections using the tabs at the top of the side panel.
Each section has its own independent queue, roster, and attendance.
Every section is completely independent. Switching to Period 2 won't affect Period 1's queue, participation logs, or absence list. When you come back to Period 1 later, everything is exactly where you left it.
Tips & Best Practices
Show your students the queue on the first day and explain how it works: "Everyone gets a turn, everyone gets prep time, and nobody gets ambushed." This builds trust and normalizes participation from the start.
Let the student finish their full response before you click. If you advance too quickly, it can feel dismissive - and you might miss the nuance in their answer that helps you pick the right participation level.
Use PrepPanel's Discussion tab to pair the lineup with structured activities. Pick a student AND give them a discussion framework ("Use evidence from the text to support your claim"). This raises the quality of responses across the board.
Check the Reports tab in the dashboard once a week. You might notice patterns you didn't expect - a student who's been "meeting expectations" every time but never exceeding, or one who's been skipped more often than you realized.
Common Questions
Is the queue truly random?
Yes. PrepPanel uses a random shuffle algorithm each time the queue is built or reset. Every present student has an equal chance of landing in any position. There's no weighting based on participation history or ability level.
What happens when all students have been picked?
When the queue runs out of unpicked students, it automatically regenerates with a fresh random order of all present students. You can also manually reset at any time using the Reset Lineup button.
Can students figure out the pattern?
There is no pattern to figure out. Each reset produces a completely new random order. The only thing students know is that they'll eventually be called on - and that's by design. It keeps everyone engaged.
Can I call on someone out of order?
The queue always advances in sequence, but you can skip students who aren't ready. If you want to call on someone specific outside the queue, you can do that naturally - just don't click "Mark Complete" for the queue student until you're ready to advance.
Do participation logs persist across sessions?
Yes. All participation data is stored locally and available in the Reports tab. You can filter by date range, section, and response quality. You can also export everything to CSV for your records.
What if a student refuses to participate?
Click "Skip" and handle it with your usual classroom approach. PrepPanel is a tool that supports equitable participation - it doesn't replace your judgment about when to press and when to give space. The student will come back around later in the queue.