Why E-Learning
Quizizz is an interactive learning space that can be used by students and teachers. The Quizizz program was designed based on the research of gamification. It helps students navigate the learning process on an e-learning platform. Quizizz promotes learning by awarding students badges and rewards. The article by Callista et al. (2021) stated that millennials had positive outcomes using Quizizz because it offers an interactive platform. The use of leader boards enhances students’ engagement. Gaming offers a way for students to learn crucial information. Quizizz is remarkably similar to Kahoot. Teachers can put the same questions on two different platforms to review and learn materials. Kahoot is an extremely helpful teaching tool, as teachers can present the questions to classes and review correct and incorrect answers immediately. When giving feedback while using Kahoot, a teacher can walk through each question and work problems out on the board. It is also a valuable tool to gauge the understanding of students. Kahoot and Quizizz both embody student response systems and gaming (Janković & Lambić, 2022). Their research agrees with other researchers when addressing student motivation. Much of this research agrees that gaming response systems assist students with motivation and engagement. Jankovic and Lambic’s research even stated that these programs reduce anxiety. They suggested that students at all levels of education and subjects have benefited from Kahoot and Quizizz other than natural science. Kahoot and Quizizz can be used regularly in the classroom.
Students and teachers alike are required to be competent with computers. E-learning helps with essential skills (Callista et al., 2021). Teachers have used Kahoot and Quizizz to help students learn English, math, science, history, technology, and languages, so these programs can help students with learning any and every subject. These programs have even been used in churches to engage in learning. Kahoot was very helpful with helping students learn Scriptures and keep student engagement. Kahoot is also an e-learning platform that can be played on a computer or on a cellphone. The teacher does require a large screen or TV. During COVID, Kahoot could be assigned to students, and they could play the game individually. These features make gaming more user friendly. There are free and paid versions.
There are pros and cons to using educational technology tools in the classroom. Per Głodowska et al. (2022) e-learning is beneficial to the classroom, but it should not be used to replace face-to-face instruction. The millennial generation and COVID pushed society into using the online platform that was already started with videos, interactive quizzes, and other interactive learning platforms. The pros of gaming and the internet advance the entrepreneur spirit that economics wants to create, but the individual operating in isolation can also be detrimental to mental health and can violate the norms of communal cultures. The lack of a person, an instructor, weakens the class concepts and instruction. The infrastructure of an institution must be able to handle the fast-paced frames of gaming, computer apps, and other internet programs. As the programs are constantly evolving, so must the infrastructure of institutions. The research completed by Glodowska et al. (2022) stated that cost was a pro because it reduced social costs. In many of the public-school systems computers have been provided to students because families could not afford computers and the internet.
Donkin and Rasmussen (2021) stated that there has not been a lot of research on the use of Kahoot in preparation and effectiveness. Their research did not have a control group for information on the use of Kahoot in histology and anatomy, so the information that is being reported is limited. The research showed that the use of Kahoot during COVID increased fivefold. Kahoot is considered part of gamification because it uses gaming elements. Gaming supports the pedagogy of flipped classrooms, and that learning is active. Donkin and Rasmussen (2021) stated, “Pedagogies explored in the literature concerning gamification strategies is social constructivism where knowledge is developed through interactions with others” (p. 2). Kahoot helps students activate prior knowledge while also building new knowledge and skills through problem solving. Donkin and Rasmussen also referenced the work of Malone (1981) that describes how students need to be self-motivated. Gaming helps students in this area because it provides competition, makes students curious, and it takes them into a fantasy world.
Quizlet is the third gaming app. It is a vocabulary platform that assists students across disciplines to learn vocabulary. It was chosen with Kahoot and Quizizz because it pairs well with those applications in being self-directed. It features flashcards, learn, test, and match. Students enjoy playing the match game, and the learn feature has a speech feature that will read the words to students. All disciplines have vocabulary, and Quizlet is a fun and easy way to get students to study. This game, along with Kahoot and Quizizz, gives immediate feedback, which allows students to self-correct. Nguyen & Le (2023) stated that Quizlet is used for teaching vocabulary, but the research on Quizlet is limited. They did have a control group of 35 students that fared better on post testing. Students improved their lexical scores.
Quizlet, Kahoot, and Quizizz all require the same connectivity. Students and teachers need the internet, web browsers, laptops, or computers. Students can also access these games on their cell phones. All three programs can be integrated into the classroom. The apps can be used asynchronous or synchronous. All three of these programs have free and paid versions. The free versions offer a lot of access to previously made lessons, which is great for ideas. A teacher can copy the lessons into their own folders that one can make when they set up a free account. Paid versions do offer teachers lessons, grade books, and superior gaming opportunities that are not available on the free versions. Kahoot’s graphics on the paid version can be very engaging. The cost for individuals has increased due to COVID, and the features have changed with the COVID demand. The changes can be discouraging and force teachers to purchase the paid versions.
Kahoot, Quizlet, and Quizizz all have video instruction and support. Most of the videos are user friendly and easy to access. All three games have help centers that are accessible via the internet. The help centers have forms that can be submitted with questions and links that are equipped with step-by-step instructions. None of the sites had a contact phone number that was readily available, so one must be prepared to learn how to maneuver through the websites’ pages, which can be time consuming. The programs are all worth the time and energy that is required to learn how to implement these programs into one’s classroom.
References
Anak Yunus, C. C., & Hua, T. K. (2021). Exploring a gamified learning tool in the ESL classroom: The case of Quizizz. Journal of Education and E-Learning Research, 8(1), 103–108. https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.509.2021.81.103.108
Donkin, R. and Rasmussen, R. (2021), Student perception and the effectiveness of kahoot! A scoping review in histology, anatomy, and medical education. Anat Sci Educ, 14: 572- 585. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.2094
Głodowska, A.,Wach,K. & Knežević,B.(2022).Pros and cons of e-learning in economics and
business in Central and Eastern Europe: Cross-country empirical investigation. Business Systems Research Journal,13(2) 28-44. https://doi.org/10.2478/bsrj-2022-0014
Janković, A., & Lambić, D. (2022). The effect of game-based learning via Kahoot and Quizizz on the academic achievement of third grade primary School Students. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 21(2), 224-231. https://doi.org/10.33225/jbse/22.21.224
Nguyen, & Le, H. V. (2023). Enhancing L2 learners’ lexical gains via Quizlet learning tool: the role of individual differences. Education and Information Technologies.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11673-0