Interactivity and Engagement

Teaching high school math in todays digital world is exciting and filled with opportunities. Teachers face many challenges, such as student engagement and lack of resources, but many free digital tools exist to aid in instruction. Modern students have been exposed to digital devices from birth and seem resistant to traditional methods of instruction such as textbooks and paper handouts. Research has shown that gamification and Game Based Learning can aid in student engagement and motivation (Zabala-Vargas et al., 2021). Studies have also shown that these digital tools paired with mentors have shown great success in the classroom (Karagiorgas, et al., 2017). Modern teachers need to be familiar with these digital tools and apps and proficient with implementing in the classroom because interactivity and engagement play a huge role in teaching and learning. I will describe several of these free digital tools and demonstrate how to use one of my favorites for you. I will post a hyperlink for ease of use. The first app is Kahoot which is designed to be a fun gamification of quizzes that teachers can use for formative assessments. Second, is Quizizz which is a similar app but with some differences and disadvantages. Third, is an Augmented Reality app called Blippar which can help any teacher make the content of their classroom more exciting and inviting.

Any tool for education comes with advantages and disadvantages. In my experience, teachers resist change and are wary of “new” things that promise to revolutionize the educational system. However, research has shown that gamification of educational materials has many positive effects in the educational classroom (Gallardo, et al., 2020). One of the immediate positive effects is student engagement and excitement. Students immediately respond positively to the digital format of an app like Kahoot as opposed to a quiz typed on paper. The addition of competition also inspires students to perform at their highest level. Disadvantages also exist with new tools. First, teachers who are unfamiliar with computers will be at a disadvantage. However, schools are providing digital professional development for teachers to be able to meet the challenges in this technical world. “Among the disadvantages of using gamification in education, 2 categories were identified: time-consuming and the game takes the place of the learning” (OPRIȘ, et al., 2021). Teachers complained that setting up the digital tool and learning how to manipulate the tool took many hours of practice and training. Also, teachers complained about some of the apps took to long to complete an exercise. In addition, teachers noted that the game seemed to be the most important part rather than the learning. Yet, as previously stated, research shows that the gamification can improve learning. As with any curriculum or tool for education, the teacher must use their best judgement on how to implement the material to inspire learning. I have used the following apps in my classroom with great success. I also have observed my teachers using the apps as well.

My top three favorite apps to use for interactivity and engagement are: Kahoot, Quizizz and Blippar. I have used Kahoot and Quizizz for years, but Blippar is a new tool to me. I am very excited about to share these three with secondary math teachers to be able implement in their classroom to improve instruction, engagement and excitement. A brief description of each follow:

Kahoot was launched in 2013 by a Norwegian company as a game-based platform to be used in educational classrooms. Kahoot uses timed quizzes that can be accessed by every student in the classroom whether they are in person or remotely connected. The app does not use much bandwidth, so it will not disrupt your wireless network at school. It is a free application and incredibly easy to set up and use. However, there are paid options with many additional resources. I have created a quiz for my class in minutes and had students gleefully participating in a math quiz. Teachers will need a digital device that connects to the internet and students will need a separate device. Remote students can access the Kahoot in real time, or they can take the quiz later. Kahoot provides interactive tutorials and demonstrations. You can view items that others have created as well for inspiration. “One of the main ways of utilizing Kahoot is as an assessment tool, which has been shown to be effective in various education fields” (Murciano-Calles,  et al. 2020). Research has also shown that Kahoot is a “promising, effective and beneficial tool” (  Öz, et al., 2021).

The next app is Quizizz. Quizizz is an educational software company from India. The app was launched in 2015. This app provides a free platform for teachers to develop quizzes for students. The free version offers teachers access to other quizzes and test bank questions. Quizizz provides a subscription option that includes many advantages, but the free version is fully functional. “Quizizz is also a similar Web 2.0 tool, which is popular in the field of assessment” (Orhan Goksun, et al., 2019). Many of my teachers use this app in their classrooms for formative assessments, and “it was discovered that teachers find Quizizz very effective because it is highly efficient at promoting students’ enthusiasm to learn” (Lim, et al., 2021.)  One advantage of this app, is the ability to access the information by other teachers or principals. Students in class or remote students can access the quizzes. I like this app because of the enormous resource of test questions available and the ease of grading quizzes by the teacher. The quizzes are available to the students when the teacher gives access. This is an advantage because the teacher can develop the quiz and set the date and time when it is available. This app is easy to use and provides tutorials on how to create a quiz and other features. I felt very comfortable with this app the first time I used it.

The final app in my top 3 is Blippar. Blippar is an augmented reality company from the UK. Using Blippar, a teacher can create an augmented reality experience for students. Teachers can use landscapes, backgrounds, and famous landmarks to spark interest in content areas. Blippar also provides and exciting platform for distant learning students to access academic materials. “The use of augmented reality significantly increases the effectiveness of distance learning, allows teachers of natural sciences to teach quality teaching materials using the necessary visual aids, and the ability to conduct laboratory and practical work remotely” (Karnishyna, et al., 2022). Also, Blippar provides an environment for in-person students with a real world experience in many different subject areas (Kazanidis, et al., 2019). Teachers can use the app to make any lesson interesting and engage students with little effort. The app has tutorials and a free version that is useful.

Of the 3 top apps, Kahoot is my favorite and most used in my classroom. I want every secondary math teacher to try to implement this in their classroom, so I have developed my own interactive asset to help you understand how easy it can be to create a Kahoot and how valuable it can be in your classroom. Please click on the hyperlink below to participate in a short quiz on this blog:

https://kahoot.it/challenge/02964277?challenge-id=9f9534af-d4e7-4b92-80e0-247a5b73e1f3_1675028365416

Game PIN: 02964277

As with any educational tool, the value of the teaching and learning is the key. The focus must be on quality instruction that leads to meaningful learning. I believe that if you utilize these tools that I have highlighted today, you will see an increase in interactivity and engagement (Zabala-Vargas, et al., 2021). Teachers should strive to make the presentation of material as enticing to students as possible. Digital tools can be a great asset in any classroom. My personal favorite is Kahoot. It has been shown to be a valid assessment tool in many classrooms (Öz, et al., 2021).

References:

Gallardo, E. P., & Gértrudix-Barrio, F. (2021). Advantages of gamification in the field of formal education in Spain. A bibliographic review in the period 2015-2020. Contextos Educativos, (28), 203-227. https://doi.org/10.18172/con.4741

 

Karagiorgas, D. N., & Niemann, S. (2017). Gamification and game-based learning. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 45(4), 499-519. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239516665105

 

 Karnishyna, D. A., Selivanova, T. V., Nechypurenko, P. P., Starova, T. V., & Stoliarenko, V. G. (2022). The use of augmented reality in chemistry lessons in the study of “Oxygen-containing organic compounds” using the mobile application blippar. Journal of Physics. Conference Series, 2288(1), 12018. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2288/1/012018

 

 

 Kazanidis, I., & Pellas, N. (2019). Developing and assessing augmented reality applications for mathematics with trainee instructional media designers: An exploratory study on user experience. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 25(5), 489-514. https://doi.org/10.3217/jucs-025-05-0489

 

Lim, T. M., & Yunus, M. M. (2021). Teachers’ perception towards the use of quizizz in the teaching and learning of english: A systematic review. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 13(11), 6436. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116436

Murciano-Calles, J. (2020). Use of kahoot for assessment in chemistry education: A comparative study. Journal of Chemical Education, 97(11), 4209-4213. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00348

 

 OPRIȘ, E., BÁLINT-SVELLA, É., & ZSOLDOS-MARCHIȘ, I. (2021). Prospective preschool and primary school teachers’ knowledge and opinion about gamification. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 14(1), 104-114. https://doi.org/10.24193/adn.14.1.8

 

Orhan Goksun, D., & Gursoy, G. (2019). Comparing success and engagement in gamified learning experiences via kahoot and quizizz. Computers and Education, 135, 15-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.02.015

 

Öz, G. Ö., & Ordu, Y. (2021). The effects of web-based education and kahoot usage in evaluation of the knowledge and skills regarding intramuscular injection among nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 103, 104910-104910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104910

 

  Zabala-Vargas, S. A., García-Mora, L. H., Arciniegas-Hernandez, E., Reina-Medrano, J. I., Benito-Crosetti, B. d., & Darder-Mésquida, A. (2021). Strengthening motivation in the mathematical engineering teaching processes – A proposal from gamification and game-based learning. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(6), 4. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i06.16163