(COVINGTON,La) — Kahoot! has been the latest craze in the St. Paul’s classroom. Many teachers have adopted it as a fast, easy, and fun way to take a quiz or reinforce a concept. Students have varying thoughts on Kahoot!, but the prevailing opinion is that it is a fun learning tool.

Anyone can make a Kahoot! trivia game. To start the process, the quiz designer, who could be a teacher or a student, would go to the Kahoot! website. A Kahoot! can be on any topic and include any amount of questions. Once the Kahoot! is created, it can be presented in the classroom on a computer screen or connected to a linked overhead projector. Students then compete to quickly and correctly answer the most questions using a phone or device app.

Trivia questions appear on the computer screen or overhead project (left), with corresponding answer symbols on each student’s phone or device (right). Students enter a code on their devices to join the game. In a timed scenario, each player clicks the symbol on their device that corresponds with their choice of answer for each question. Kahoot! tracks the answers in real time and ranks the players throughout the game.
(Frame from an actual Kahoot! presentation for AP Writing class, by Adam Satterlee.)

Kahoot!’s Origins on Campus

The Kahoot! craze started with Matthew Pinero, one of the school’s librarians and English II teachers, and with Rachel Peak, who teaches Physics and various PLTW engineering classes.

“Mrs. Peak was the first member of our faculty to discover Kahoot!,” Pinero said. “She and I attended a conference in November for the Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators. We each went to different sessions throughout the day, and one of the sessions that she went to discussed Kahoot!. When we returned from the conference, she showed it to me, and together we introduced it to the faculty.”

“The session I attended was led by Leslie Fisher, a well-known national technology expert, who was showing innovative ways to use new technologies in the classroom,” Peak said. “She created a Christmas Trivia Kahoot! that over 150 people participated in as part of her demonstration. I thought it was a lot of fun and knew that the teachers at SPS would find great ways to use Kahoot! in every subject.”

“I like Kahoot! because, not only does it serve as an excellent review of material, but it also seems like fun,” said Emilie Allen, who teaches English II, English II H, and Criminology. “I’m competitive, and when I was in school, I got into games because it kept my attention and made class more fun. Now, as a teacher, I know how hard it is to incorporate games because of planning and class time. Making games with Kahoot! is quick and simple to set up. Plus, you can’t beat the music.”

Although a handful of students complain about the new curriculum tool, calling Kahoot! a waste of time or just another addition to their homework load, the overwhelming majority of students have enjoyed this new interactive and competitive way to learn.

“I like Kahoot! because it is a fun, new way to take a quiz, and it adds a layer of competitiveness,” junior Parker Layman said.

classroom ideas, curriculum, Kahoot!, Mr. Pinero, Ms. Allen, Ms. Peak