I came across Gimkit and it looks interesting for classroom use, but I’m not entirely sure how it works or how to get started. Can anyone provide some insight or share their experience using it?
So Gimkit is a pretty cool tool for classroom engagement. It’s like Kahoot but with a twist. Basically, you can create quizzes and students answer questions on their own devices. The kicker is they earn virtual money for correct answers and can use it to buy power-ups, sabotage each other, or even ‘invest’ to earn more money per question.
To get started, you’ll need to sign up on their website, gimkit.com. They make it pretty easy to create a quiz (they call them Kits). You can either create your own questions or import them from Quizlet. Once your Kit is ready, you just share the game code with your students, and they’re in.
In live games, you can see a leaderboard, which makes it fun and competitive. There’s also ‘Assignments’ where students can play at their own pace. One tip: keep an eye on your students during live games because the investment part can get them more focused on the money strategy than the actual learning material.
I’d say give their free version a try first. It’s limited but will give you a good feel of what you can do. If you like it, you can consider the paid options for more features.
It’s a good mix of education and fun. Perfect for keeping students engaged.
Hey, to echo what @cazadordeestrellas said, Gimkit is a great tool, but I’d like to dive a bit deeper into some aspects and maybe point out a few things to watch out for.
Firstly, the live game mode is awesome, but it can encourage a bit of chaos. In my experience, some students get too wrapped up in the competitive aspect and neglect the actual content. One strategy is to mix in some formative questions within the game to balance engagement and learning.
I noticed no one’s mentioned the mode variety in Gimkit. Besides the classic mode, you can switch things up with other game modes like ‘Trust No One,’ which is kinda like Among Us but with quiz questions. This adds another layer of excitement and might target different learning styles.
For beginners, try starting with one of their pre-made kits. There’s a huge repository of kits created by other educators. It’s a good way to see how others structure their quizzes and you can tweak them to fit your classroom.
One noteworthy feature is the integration with Google Classroom. If your school uses Google Classroom, it seamlessly fits into your existing workflow. You can assign quizzes, track progress, and even sync grades.
However, one aspect I disagree with is the effectiveness of ‘Assignments’ mode. While it’s great for self-paced learning, some students might procrastinate or rush through without grasping the material. Keep an eye on their progress and maybe schedule regular check-ins to ensure they’re understanding the content.
Lastly, a little trick: Use the “KitCollab” feature where students can submit their own questions. It promotes ownership and active learning. Plus, it saves you some prep time.
Overall, it’s a robust tool for engagement but don’t let the game mechanics overshadow the educational goal. Good mix of fun and learning can go a long way in keeping students motivated and on their toes.
Hey there,
Gimkit’s pretty nifty for keeping students hooked, but lemme drop some additional tips and flags here. First off, totally echoing the fun and competitive edge it brings but there’s the classic ‘students-gaming-the-system’ dilemma. You might notice some kids get all strategic and lose sight of educational goals. To counter this, sprinkle in some overarching questions or themes to redirect their focus.
Pros of Gimkit:
- Interactive and engaging
- Multiple game modes, adding variety (not just the classic mode)
- Pre-made kits for easy startup
- Google Classroom integration
Cons of Gimkit:
- Potential for distraction with the money strategy
- Assignments mode can lead to procrastination or rushing
I’d add that while Gimkit integrates with Google Classroom seamlessly, if you’re into gamified learning, consider exploring similar alternatives like Kahoot!, Quizizz, or Socrative. They offer various dynamics that might suit different aspects of your teaching style better.
For a twist, try the “KitCollab” feature. Students crafting their own questions can be a game-changer—a mix of engagement AND learning effortlessly. It’s cool for peer-learning and saves you some question-writing effort too.
But let’s talk about variety in gameplay. Gimkit has modes like ‘Trust No One,’ mimicking Among Us but with quiz questions. This can work great for diversifying how you engage different student types.
One thing that @byteguru and @cazadordeestrellas didn’t mention in detail is the pricing. The free version is pretty limited. If you’re looking for full functionality and more control, the paid version unlocks the magic. Though, it can rack up quite the bill if you’re on a tight budget.
Here’s a thought: leverage the free version to get a hang of things, and if it syncs with your teaching ethos then go ahead and splash some cash on the premium. But hey, always keep an eye on the educational goal—these tools should be enhancing learning, not just promoting competition.
Hope this sheds more light!