As an educator, you face an ongoing challenge in keeping your students engaged and excited about learning.

Kahoot! is one tool that does exactly that. Kahoot! is a free software program that allows teachers to create entertaining learning games in minutes. Use the games to introduce a topic or reinforce knowledge. Create questions from scratch or use quizzes from their extensive library. Run a formative assessment or collect student opinions. Every classroom is different, but Kahoot! allows for flexibility and can be used in different ways.

The basic version of Kahoot! is free, but you can upgrade to the Pro and Premium versions for $3 and $6 per month, respectively. It isn’t just for the classroom, either. You can create interactive presentations and games for your next faculty meeting or in-service or just to have fun with friends and family. Visit kahoot.com/schools for more ideas of how to use Kahoot! in the classroom.

Lockhart ISD high school teacher Rick Tuten has used Kahoot! for test reviews. “The students like it because of the competitive nature of the game and the interactivity,” Tuten says. “I like it because it helps the students recall information more easily. The more they’re having fun learning, the more they will learn. I find that my test averages are better if we play a Kahoot! game over the content a day or two prior to taking a test.”

Play with the Whole Class

For this, you will need a big screen so everyone can see the same questions. Students answer on their devices individually or in teams.

Self-Paced Learning

Assign students a self-paced challenge they can play anywhere and anytime. The questions and the answers are displayed on their screens as they move through the assignment.

Student Participation

Encourage students to create their own games to play individually or to share with their peers.