Kahoot! is a free, multi-platform, game-based classroom response system that has recently become popular. It’s an online platform that works on Macs, PCs, iPads, Android tablets, smartphones and any other device that runs a browser supporting HTML5. Kahoot combines ideas from learner-centred education, contents generated by users and gamification. It provides a learning platform that helps educators involve students in lessons by questioning real time, discussing and surveying in a game-like environment. It has recently become a popular way for teachers to gain insight into their student’s learning process during the class and to keep the students engaged.
Teachers can create a series of multiple choice questions with which to quiz their students, and projects it onto a screen via an LCD projector for the whole class to see. Quiz questions may include an image or even a video for the students to use as a reference to help them submit their answer. Students can log into the Kahoot application on their mobile devices, find their quiz and select the correct answer. The students gain Kahoot points for correct answers. The first student to answer correctly will be awarded the biggest number of points. At the end of a quiz, a leaderboard is displayed to reveal the final positions of each student who scored points, and students can leave feedback on how much they enjoyed the quiz. The students are also able to create their own quizzes for their peers.
Kahoot provides educators with a ‘snapshot’ of each learner’s current understanding and long-term tracking of progress through which they can make formative assessments for adaptive teaching. At the same time, it also gives the learners an indication of what they have learned, building their confidence in the subject.
One of the strengths of Kahoot is that it is simple to use and brings together the teacher and the learner and it is perhaps it’s simplicity that has created a great impact on teachers and learners. It would be interesting to see its long term impacts on classroom learning and the learning process. Kahoot was created by Prof. Alf-Inge Wang from NTNU, Norway. To use Kahoot: https://getkahoot.com/