Get in “Kahoots” with Your Students!
By Abby Brown, EdD
Assistant Professor, College of Education
Typically, when one uses the term “in cahoots with,” it has a negative connotation. For example, if someone said, “Bob was in cahoots with Sue,” you would assume they were up to no good. Teachers should certainly never be in cahoots with their students—or should they?
Kahoot is web-based assessment tool that is extremely engaging for both teachers and students. Even my undergraduate students (who introduced me to it) were begging for more Kahoot!
What is Kahoot?
Teachers can register for a free account at GetKahoot.com, create their own Kahoots and search through Kahoots created by others. Teachers have many options for creating their own assessments, including options for using pictures and various amounts of answer choices.
Students can then go to Kahoot.it on any web-enabled device and enter the game pin initialized by the teacher. Once all students have entered their name, the teacher starts the assessment.
As questions pop up, students answer as accurately and quickly as possible to earn Kahoot points. There’s even ominous music to emphasize the thrill of the game! After each question, students are instantly notified of their rank in the class, and the class can view and discuss the correct answer together.
Why Should I Get Kahoot?
Kahoot does not display individual student answers, only the names of the highest ranked students. After the Kahoot is over, teachers can download and save a spreadsheet of individual student responses to each question for assessment and/or grading purposes. It’s competitive, educational and, most importantly, extremely fun!
What are the Benefits of Kahoot?
Kahoot provides immediate feedback for students and immediate positive rewards in the form of Kahoot points. Plus, it’s a novelty for students. All of these factors are important aspects of brain-based learning. Beyond that, it’s engaging and FUN.
So, should teachers be in Kahoots with their students? I say, absolutely!
Looking for other ways to engage with your students? Check out our blog post, “Getting Students Excited About Learning.”