The game-based learning platform Kahoot! has become popular for teachers because a Kahoot! lesson plan provides an entertaining way of delivering information, improving students’ academic performance and creating a positive classroom environment.
It ranks among the most popular game-based learning platforms in the country. According to a Norwegian University of Science and Technology study, there are 70 million active, unique users, including about 50% of all K-12 students in the United States.
Teachers can learn to use the platform in the Fresno Pacific University course, Kahoot! In The Classroom while earning professional development credits needed to maintain their license. The course also is applicable toward earning a Student Engagement Certificate.
“If you want to engage, encourage and inspire learning in your classroom Kahoot! is the platform,” said course instructor Brian Davis. “Teachers who know the importance of virtual classrooms and student engagement love Kahoot!”
The Benefits of Using Kahoot!
Why has using a Kahoot! lesson plan become so popular? Research studies and the experience of teachers show that students who use Kahoot! benefit in a variety of ways. For example, students learning to play Kahoot! typically stay more engaged in a subject through game-based learning. Games can also boost a student’s morale.
Kahoot! offers plenty of advantages for teachers, as well. The Kahoot! Academy allows teachers to interact with other educators worldwide, exchanging experiences and ideas on how to best put the game-based learning platform to use. The academy also gives educators access to “ready-to-play” Kahoot! games from respected sources such as National Geographic and Cambridge University Press.
Other ways teachers can use Kahoot! include:
- Assessing a student’s understanding of a topic without resorting to a test or quiz
- Using the system for any classroom subject
- Introducing new topics
- Reviewing content
- Reaching students who aren’t in the classroom
- Serving as an ice breaker among students at the beginning of a class
- Reinforcing knowledge
- Collecting student opinions
Students play games on a shared screen, including a smart TV, laptop or interactive whiteboard. Teachers can use Skype, Appear.in or Google Hangouts to include players outside the classroom. Students can use any device to play Kahoot!, they only need a browser and an internet connection.
Using Kahoot! in the Classroom
Setting up a Kahoot! is relatively easy if the teacher follows these steps.
Create a Kahoot! account. This is free and done at getkahoot.com.
Create a game. Teachers can do this on their own or co-create a game with fellow teachers. If they don’t want to create a new game, they can use public games available on the Kahoot! website.
Add content and images. Screen prompts guide teachers through the process of adding questions, answers, images and video. Teachers can make the questions multiple-choice, true/false or survey questions. They also can add images and videos to each question.
Add title and description. Teachers add a title and description in the Kahoot! summary to explain the game and help others find it. This also can include a main cover image for the Kahoot! game.
Launch the game. Teachers can choose to use individual or team mode and make other modifications such as changing the order of questions.
Share with students. Teachers send students a link or the game PIN.
The FPU Kahoot! In the Classroom Course
The Kahoot! in the Classroom course is designed to make teachers better at their job and increasing student engagement and achievement. The course is also applicable to school administrators and other educational professionals.
The course blends “hands-on learning and discovery learning,” said Davis. As part of the class, teachers create a Kahoot! account, develop professional learning networks and learn best practices to create a Kahoot! They also learn to develop effective feedback loops that help them get a clearer picture of student needs, comprehension, attitudes, understanding and information collection.
The online course allows teachers to develop skills in Kahoot! at their own pace. Hundreds of teachers have already taken this course, providing them the skills they need to effectively apply a Kahoot! lesson plan in their classroom. Learn more about other forms of immersive learning technology and how it can positively change the landscape of your classroom.