"EdTech Wars: Flipgrid and Kahoot! for the Battle of the Classroom Throne!"
- Aug 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Prepare yourselves for an epic clash in the world of EdTech! Today, I bring you the ultimate showdown between two mighty contenders: FlipGrid and Kahoot!
Let the EdTech Wars begin!
Welcome fellow education enthusiasts and friends! Prepare yourselves for an epic battle in the world of EdTech! Today, I bring you the ultimate face-off between two powerful challengers: FlipGrid, and Kahoot! Each armed with Thor-like powers, they seek to dominate the classroom world. Will FlipGrid's captivating video discussions charm the students or will Kahoot!'s quiz show frenzy reign supreme like the Iron Chef of the EdTech arena and claim victory?
Join me as I as dig into the pros and cons of each EdTech contender and observe the electrifying battle for the future of education! The battlefield is set, and the stakes are high. Let the EdTech Wars begin!
Well, well, well if you cannot hear that it is the deafening sound of FlipGrid amplifying the voices of our students! This video discussion platform gives students opportunity to share thoughts and ideas via video responses. Pretty cool right! The pros? It sparks enthusiasm and creativity as students’ express thoughts about their learning content. Collaboration and engagement are undeniably high as students excitedly contribute and use the platform. I found it especially fantastic in a year 10 class where I had a student with selective mutism and several other students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This EdTech hero allowed these students to express themselves and contribute to class discussions in a manner that they were comfortable with, which is simply brilliant. Did I know how to use it when I first stumbled upon this tool… heck no but learn quickly I did when I saw the value it added to student learning and engagement in lessons. But beware! FlipGrid is a double-edged sword. While it encourages student engagement, some students (and teachers) may feel camera-shy or struggle with video presentation. I did not experience this with my students, quite the opposite in fact as they were hellbent on getting the perfect angles and lighting, so moderation is key here. Too much FlipGrid and you risk sacrificing valuable class time to the allure of lights, camera, and action! So less is most definitely more in my experience as well as good lighting, makeup, and background aesthetics!
Quiz show sensations anyone? Yes… that’s right brace yourselves for exhilaration as students compete in real-time quizzes challenging their knowledge and wits. It still fascinates me the excitement the word Kahoot! elicits from a class of teens… I shake my head every time! The pros? Well, they are numerous! Kahoot! revolutionises dull assessments into lively competitions, that makes learning insanely fun. Energy teems in the classroom; students’ competitiveness is struck driving them to excel. The cons? Well, I for one am not a fan of Kahoot! It may lead to shallow learning, as students are focussed on winning, instead of gaining deep knowledge of the content. And man, alive it gets noisy… like seriously loud to the point where my watch vibrates and beeps alerts at me that the noise level requires earplugs else permanent damage is inevitable. I will never forget the look of sheer panic and desperation I saw in a colleague’s eyes when they decided a Kahoot! afternoon would be great for sixty year nine students. Yep, you read that right… YEAR NINE! It was like watching a shark feeding frenzy as the noise level continued to rise and control was at risk of never being regained, I witnessed my colleague throwing handfuls of starbursts and freddo frogs as they climbed on a chair and other teachers scrambled to get out of the way of this heaving mass of excited teens hyped up on Kahoot! starbursts and freddo frogs. Control was regained although I still have flashbacks to that day. So, strike a balance and let the Kahoot! magic unfold!
Anyway, I have once again kept you too long, but there you have it, friends. The showdown of the month, featuring the Instagram of FlipGrid and the energetic Kahoot! in education. Each one of these EdTech tools brings its uniqueness to the learning arena and with any good product, it is about finding the right balance and when to employ each EdTech tool with finesse. So, as we continue to embrace these two tools or others, we continue to revolutionize education with these extraordinary EdTech wonders! So, until next time, happy learning beautiful people!
References
Clinton, K. (2021, December 28). What Is Flipgrid and How Does It Work For Teachers and Students? Retrieved from Teaching Expertise: https://www.teachingexpertise.com/technology/what-is-flipgrid-and-how-does-ihttps://www.teachingexpertise.com/technology/what-is-flipgrid-and-how-does-it-work-for-teachers-and-students/
Little, K. (2015, March 11). Classroom Observation Part 3: Place Value Kahoot.
Technology for Teachers and Students. (2018, October 30). Flipping The Classroom - Creating Video Assignments.
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