Evaluating Kahoot!

Link to Tool: Create a Kahoot!

What is this tool?

Kahoot! is a game-like student-response tool played by the whole class in real time, which can spark competitive fun within the classroom.  Primarily, this is an educational tool for teachers to use technology to administer quizzes, discussions, surveys, etc. to their class.  Basically, teachers create a variety of multiple choice questions that are projected on a screen, and students can use any technology device such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc., to respond to the questions displayed.  It gives the shy and quiet students an opportunity to answer questions as well.  Ultimately, this activity is an effective tool that can be used for a wide variety of students ranging from elementary school all the way through higher education. 

How can it be used in the classroom?

Kahoot! can be used for various purposes within a classroom.  For example, teachers can use it as a quick strategy to check on the class’ knowledge or progress in a particular lesson at any point in the unit.  It can also be used for a review before an assessment or even as a simple reinforcement of a particular topic or concept to enhance learning outcomes.  Also, it is an easy way to engage kids in a pre-assessment or formative assessment.  For instance, teachers can create a game to introduce a topic to help discover what their students already know and where the focus of the instruction should be. Moreover, it can go beyond memorization of facts and allow teachers to introduce scenario based questions and prompts with multiple choices.  This is a great way to stimulate classroom discussion as well.  Besides, not only can it be used for academic purposes, but it can also be used for class bonding, team building, and community learning within the classroom in order to shape a positive classroom climate for students.

Is this tool valid and reliable?

The Thinking Stick Article discusses evaluating the use of technology and how to assess what type of learning is taking place. The author mentions turning Marc Presnky’s idea of typical process of technology adoption and turned these stages of technology adoption into questions that an evaluator could use during the evaluation process. Hence, I used those questions to decipher the validity and reliability of Kahoot!

Is the technology being used “Just because it’s there?”

Kahoot! is not a tool that is being used just because it is present in a classroom.  There are so many different ways that teachers can use technology to administer quizzes, reviews, etc.  Kahoot! is a fun and interactive strategy that teacher choose to engage their students in a lesson.  Teachers do not have to use it just because they are able to access it from any device, but they select this tool as a useful means of educational reinforcement in the classroom.

Is the technology allowing the teacher/students to do Old things in Old ways?

Evidently, Kahoot! is not allowing teachers/students to do old things in old ways because it is a new tool that came out only a few years ago.  Simply put, there is no “old” way of using Kahoot! Therefore, this technology is not doing old things in old ways.

Is the technology allowing the teacher/students to do Old things in New ways?

To an extent, Kahoot! is allowing the teacher to do old things in new ways.  If giving a quiz, class review, pre-assessment, etc. are considered “old” things, then this tool allows teachers and students to participate in these “old” activities in a new and improved way.  However, Kahoot also allows teachers to do new things in a new way as well.  For example, teachers can administer new types of games, activities and assessments via Kahoot!  The ability that teachers have to plug in any type of multiple choice questions allows teachers to alter their lessons however they want and create new ways of implementing “old” effective lessons in the classroom.

Is the technology creating new and different learning experiences for the students?

Overall, Kahoot! allows students to interact with information in a meaningful way.  Evidently, this tool creates a new and different learning experience for students as they can use their device to partake in answering questions and engaging in classroom debate and discussion.  The first time I’ve ever used Kahoot! was in one of my MAT classes, and during the process, I realized how effective this tool can be in a so many different way.  Ultimately, it is a new and different way to change a not-so-exciting topic into an exhilarating, fun, competitive learning experience for students.

Highlighting Key Concepts

In the Article “5 Risks Posed by The Increasing Misuse of Technology” by Diane Ravitch, it highlights how teachers misuse technology to inspire inquire, research, creativity and excitement. One of the risks mentioned is the Proliferation of ‘Personalized Learning.’  This risk describes how parents want their children taught by a human being and not a computer for fear that their children will be “mechanized, standardized, and subjected to depersonalized instruction.” Thus, Kahoot! is a great tool for teachers to integrate technology in the classroom without the students actually learning from a computer, but instead, the teacher inputs the questions/information and uses this technology as a platform for class interaction and learning.  Therefore, the teacher is still doing the teaching and parents do not need to fear this idea of non-personalized learning when it comes to Kahoot! If anything, this tool is allowing teachers to make learning more personalized for their class.