Why, it's a Kahoot!

Summer is winding down, so that means I need to get back into school mode.  What better way than to share a new tool find on my blog!

Kahoot is an amazing game-based student response system where you can create and play quizzes, discussions or even surveys (these are called Kahoots) using any device with a web browser.  Students then join the Kahoots by going to Kahoot.it and entering the game pin.

Creating questions in Kahoot is really easy using a drag and drop fashion and completing the available fields.  You can even attach photos to the questions.  

Once you launch your Kahoot, a game pin is generated that you share with students (the game pin is new each time you launch a Kahoot - it is not question specific).

Students then enter the pin and join your Kahoot. Remember, students go to Kahoot.it in order to enter the pin, and they can use any device that has a web browser (smart phone, iPad, computer, Android tablet, etc).

Once all your students have joined the Kahoot, launch the question, which will show up on your screen only.  In addition, the possible answers will also be displayed.  When you are setting up the question, you can pick time limit, number of answers, etc. to make it suitable to your classroom.

The student view only shows the selection tool for the possible answers, and the students select one based on the answer choices on your screen.  The best part is that even preschool students can participate using Kahoot!

I really think what makes Kahoot stand out against other response systems/survey sites is the back-end data you receive.  You can download your results (via Excel) in order to review the students' performance on the Kahoots. The responses are anonymous during the actual question/answer view, and only you as teacher have access to the student specific data. 

Kahoot is a great collaboration tool too, as you can share your Kahoots with your colleagues.  What a great team tool to use for common practice and assessment.

I think the possibilities are endless with - it would be a great review tool, quiz tool, discussion starter for a new unit, exit ticket tool, etc.  I plan to use it for my bell work each Thursday as either an introduction to a topic or a check-in point.  And the data on the back end will help me identify students needing additional assistance - a win-win for me!

Until next time...