As a means of assisting students in achieving and mastering particular learning goals, a learning strategy known as game-based learning (GBL) is gaining more and more popularity these days as a means of helping students learn. According to the findings of Ninaus et al. (2019), there has been a notable increase in the interest shown by both the scientific community and the general public in the application of games to educational or other non-fun purposes. The adoption rate of various forms of technology in educational settings has skyrocketed in recent years. Teachers have discovered that by incorporating technology into their lessons, students are more engaged in the lesson than they would be without the technology being present. Because we live in a digital world, the Internet of things (IoT) has forced hesitant educators and school districts to make investments in reliable technology curricula and resources in order to increase student engagement and narrow the achievement gap.
In order for teachers to effectively incorporate and make use of technology in the classroom, they need to have access to relevant resources and participate in sufficient ongoing professional development. According to Cassen (2023), despite the fact that technology plays an important role in easing the learning process, educators still face challenges when attempting to effectively incorporate technology into their lessons. Technology alone will not guarantee effective instruction. Educators need to implement new and specific pedagogies for technology to meet learning goals(Cassen, 2023). It has been demonstrated that higher levels of academic achievement lead to greater levels of success in the classroom. When a teacher has a firm grasp on pedagogy, they are in a better position to determine which types of educational games would be most beneficial to the students in their classroom. Technology is a tool, and its impact on future society will be determined not only by how it is used, but also by who uses it and what it is used for. There has been a recent pedagogical shift towards the endorsement of play-based teaching and learning, where both academic and developmental learning skills are fostered within the context of children’s play (Daniels, 2020). Game based learning tools such as: Kahoot!, Blooket, and Quizizz have changed the way that students are assessed, and the way that students receive instruction. Kahoot: Engaging Collaborative Educational Game Kahoot! was founded in 2012 by Morten Versvik, Johan Brand, and Jamie Brooker (Kahoot,2023). Kahoot is a global learning platform that was created to engage students, children, and employees to identify their full learning potential by using a collaborative game based environment. Teachers use Kahoot as a great way to review for a test, informal assessment. Its a graphic interface, a quiz show, or a reward for desired behavior in the classroom. The educational game platform Kahoot is one of the most widely used and well-liked tools for game-based learning among teachers. It is essential for teachers to take advantage of technologies that are not only inexpensive but also simple to operate in order to facilitate active learning for their students in traditional, hybrid, or online settings.Kahoot! is a game technology that allows players to compete in timed multiple-choice quizzes. Gamification makes it possible to have interactive classroom activities, such as formative assessments, which measure the progress of learners and inform subsequent activities as well as review tools used to get them ready for summative evaluations (Morrin, 2020). Connectivity: Connectivity is vital when using technology. Kahoot can be accessed through any wireless internet connection. Kahoot was especially useful during the Covid-19 pandemic. When schools were virtual, Kahoot allowed students to connect with their teachers in real-time. Teachers were able to create assessments and collect the data immediately after the game was over. This allowed teachers to identify learners' needs.Learners will still receive feedback on their performance immediately and see the leaderboard of winners at the conclusion of the game. Educators may also share results with the class to encourage mastery of learning outcomes and facilitate community and connectedness be- tween students(Morrin, 2020). Integration: Kahoot is compatible with various learning management systems. Kahoot can be connected through Clever (a single sign-on portal that automatically enrolls rostered students), Google Classroom, Microsoft Outlook, IOS, Android, Zoom and Microsoft teams. I use Kahoot with my students using the schools IPads, Chromebooks, and students use their cellphones as well. Cost: Kahoot has a free option that allows its users to access their library of materials, and download student data. For a minimal annual fee, members would be able to access teachers guides, review, feedback and engagement sets. Overall, Kahoot is affordable enough for educators to purchase if they are not given funding from their school/district. The price point was created with educators in mind. Support: Is it user-friendly for first-time users? Kahoot is user-friendly for first time users. Kahoot provides video tutorials and demo lessons for teachers. Webinars are available for teachers that may have issues. An automated chat bot is also available to resolve any issues that teachers and students may have. Quizizz: Assessment instruction and practice to motivate student learning It is crucial in the modern world to incorporate various forms of technology into the instructional process. The context in which students acquire knowledge and demonstrate what they have learned has a direct bearing on the level of that knowledge that they have attained. As a consequence of this, the information that students take in is not only pertinent but also capable of being utilized and put into practice within that particular setting. Quizizz is an online learning platform that is based on games and gives teachers the ability to create fun and engaging quizzes and tests for their students to take. The students have the opportunity to vie with one another for the top spot on the leaderboard. Gamification takes part in the game including points, badges, challenges,leaderboards, rewards, incentives, and so on and applies it to pedagogy to motivate students to a higher and more meaningful level of involvement (Handoko, 2021). Connectivity: Quizizz allowed students to connect with their teachers in real-time. Teachers were able to create assessments and collect the data immediately after the game was over. Quizizz is available on all technology platforms. This platform can be connected through Clever (a single sign-on portal that automatically enrolls rostered students), Google Classroom, Microsoft Outlook, IOS, Android, Zoom and Microsoft teams. I particularly use Quizizz with my students using the schools IPads, Chromebooks, and students use their cellphones as well. Cost: Quizizz has a free basic option with limited activities,library access, storage for up to 20 activities, interactive lessons, asynchronous assignments, and engaging assessments (Quizizz,2023). However, for 59 dollars members can access the basic content, as well as member exclusive content. Unlimited Storage, All Question Types (incl. Audio/Video, Hotspot, Labeling, and more), Extended/No Deadlines and more practice upgrades, Focus Mode, Review & Submit, and more test prep upgrades (Quizizz, 2023). Classroom design: Quizizz can be used both synchronously and asynchronously. Quizizz is a game-based educational application that can be played by many people working on problems with an interactive and fun display(Handoko, 2021). Students can use Quizizz as long as they are connected to the internet using either their personal computer or their mobile phone. Quizizz provides statistical data based on quiz results and is quite flexible due to the fact that it allows users to set the amount of time the quiz is administered (Handoko, 2021). Blooket: Leveling up Classroom engagement with fun, competitive interactive gameplay Within the last three years, educators have shown a growing interest in using a teaching tool called Blooket, which is an interactive game-based learning platform. The most challenging aspect of teaching students virtually was maintaining their interest in the material. It was reported by educators that students enjoyed reviewing previously learned content in game formats. According to Siegle (2023), Blooket was a well-known review and trivia platform. Blooket is something that I use personally because it encourages students to challenge themselves and promotes engagement overall. The platform gives educators the ability to import their own content and automatically generates question sets for them to use. There is a question bank with thousands of different question sets that are ready to be used right away, in case the instructor needs to save some time. The fact that both teachers and students in the Blooket community can collaborate to create question sets is a distinctive feature of this platform. Connectivity: Blooket allowed students to connect with their teachers in real-time. Teachers were able to create assessments and collect the data immediately after the game was over. Blooket is available on all technology platforms. This platform can be connected through Clever (a single sign-on portal that automatically enrolls rostered students), Google Classroom, Microsoft Outlook, IOS, Android, Zoom and Microsoft teams. I particularly use Blooket with my students using the schools IPads, Chromebooks, and students use their cellphones as well. Cost: Educators can use Blooket's basic version, which is free, to access unlimited sets and edits, one-of-a-kind game modes, question set search, and up to 60 players. The enhanced game reports, early event access, and question set folders are all available to educators with the premium paid version (Blooket, 2023). The most affordable game-based learning and engagement tool I've ever used, the premium version costs 4.99 per month. I would advise teachers who want to engage their students affordably to use this application.
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