More On Digital Games.

 

In a world where students are glued to screens, it's a no-brainer to leverage that engagement for learning. Digital game platforms have become essential tools for modern math teachers, turning the dreaded review session into a high-stakes, high-energy competition. By strategically using tools like Kahoot, Jeopardy, Quizizz, Gimkit, and 99math, you can provide instant feedback, track progress, and, most importantly, make math fun.

Let's look at other resources one can use in the classroom.  There are several big players and each platform offers a unique style of play that caters to different classroom needs.

• Kahoot: The original classroom game show. Known for its fast-paced, real-time competition, Kahoot builds excitement with a shared screen and a dramatic leaderboard. It's fantastic for whole-class review, especially at the start of a lesson to activate prior knowledge or as a high-energy wrap-up. The pressure of the timer and the thrill of the leaderboard make it a hit for quick checks of understanding on concepts like multiplication facts, integer operations, or vocabulary in geometry.

• Quizizz: While similar to Kahoot, Quizizz offers a crucial difference: it's student-paced. Each student answers questions on their own device, so a fast learner isn’t left waiting for the rest of the class, and a slower student doesn’t feel rushed. This format makes it an excellent tool for formative assessment. Teachers can track individual progress in real-time and even use the detailed reports after the game to identify which specific questions or concepts the class as a whole struggled with.

• Gimkit: This platform takes gamification to a new level. Students answer questions to earn virtual money, which they can then use to buy power-ups and sabotage other players. Gimkit feels less like a quiz and more like a video game. With a variety of creative game modes, it's perfect for longer review sessions where you want to keep students engaged over an extended period. It’s particularly effective for reinforcing multi-step problems or a large body of content from an entire unit.

Specialized Tools for Specific Needs

Beyond the big three, other platforms serve more niche but equally valuable purposes.

• Jeopardy (using platforms like JeopardyLabs): This classic game show format is ideal for structured review. You can organize your questions by category (e.g., "Algebra," "Geometry," "Word Problems") and by difficulty, just like the real show. This allows for targeted practice and is a great way to let students choose what they need to work on. The collaborative, team-based nature of Jeopardy also encourages peer-to-peer teaching as students work together to solve problems.

• 99math: This is the ultimate tool for building math fluency. Unlike the others which focus on broader concepts, 99math is all about speed and accuracy with basic arithmetic. Students from all over the world can join a live game and compete to solve problems as quickly as possible. This repetitive practice in a fun, competitive environment is incredibly effective for mastering foundational skills like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, which are the building blocks for more advanced math.

By diversifying your use of these platforms, you can transform your math classroom from a quiet, solitary space into a dynamic hub of learning, competition, and genuine excitement.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.