How can Kahoot be used to stimulate co-creation rather than simply as an automated test? That is what I explore in this article. I organised a kind of Kahoot creation tournament with various groups. It was a way of taking things to the next level.

In a previous article, I shared some observations on the different levels of learning in training. And in another article, I told you about Kahoot, a blended learning application particularly effective, if only because of its playful nature.

If I consider the classic use of Kahoot, it is located at the level of the practice by the student and at best, in the communication of groupe, if the trainer takes the opportunity to debrief the session.

How to enhance the educational value of a Kahoot session?

How can we move from a relatively low educational level – that of individual student participation in competition – to a level of collaboration and co-creation?

By suggesting a « kahoot match" .

Promoting the co-creation through a team match

According to educational circles, competition is frowned upon. But learners love it. They enjoy measuring themselves against each other, finding out who is the best or the strongest...

How to align the collaboration aspects- necessary not only in educational terms or companies fields or along the daily life- to that kind of competition assumed by our learners?

I have decided to launch a competition. However, it will not focus on Kahoot quizzes already created by the trainer or teacher. Instead, learners will work in groups to develop their own Kahoot quiz and test it on the opposing team.

The various trial stages

Obviously, it wasn' t about sending learners out on this adventure alone, without any guidance. Especially since these learners were migrants who were just beginning to master the basics of French.

So I have just proceeded step by step

1 A mindmap to resume the elaboration stages of kahoot

I started by drawing a mind map, or rather a timeline with XMind, to clearly map out the journey.

You can obtain for free this mind map about collaborative methodology with Kahoot on our page Pedagogical Design- free Mind map.

You can also download this chart in PDF format:

2 An introduction of the participants on the co-creation stages of a match

So, I used this timeline to present the exercise to the participants, commenting on each step.

Define its subject

The test or examination subject has to be precisely defined.

You also need to know what you want to measure:

• the understanding of a grammar rule?
• the retention of newly acquired vocabulary?
• the application of a verb conjugation?
• etc.

Without this, the test will be vague and lose its focus...

b) Identify your public

What's their level?

• Are they beginners?
• Are they experts?
• Do they belong to intermediate levels?

c) Drafting the questions

If there is one thing I have learnt over the years as a trainer, it is that nothing is less natural than asking questions.

For a trainer or teacher, this seems perfectly normal; it's part of everyday life. For our learners, however, it's often a nightmare. To better understand, watch an episode of Jeopardy and you'll quickly understand...

So, I organised a short CQQCOQP session with the learners.

If you don't know the acronym, look at the following mind map:

This acronym refers to the W words in French.

With this tool- which you can download for free in Xmind and PDF format on our page Pedagogical Design-the learners had a better understanding of the possible questions. which you can also download free of charge in the format XMind and PDF on our page Instructional Design – Learners had a better understanding of the possible questions.

You can also download the chart in PDF format :

The pitfall to avoid: questions whose answer is implicit...

d) Drafting answers

Writing the answers also requires a certain amount of tact.

Not in terms of using the application, which is very simple, as shown in this screenshot:

No, the difficulty lies in writing answers which are not too obvious. In some multiple-choice tests I've seen on the web, you didn't necessarily need to know the answers to get them right: a little logic was enough. So these questions and answers don't measure comprehension or retention, but rather your learners' reasoning skills? Is that what you wanted to measure? Really?

https://giphy.com/gifs/K64409MbT84rm

e) Choosing the images of your Kahoot

Images are such a really important part of your Kahoot.

They contribute to the visual and playful aspect of the whole. They must be chosen carefully by:

• by eventually providing an index about the answer
• without giving the answer( it may happen...)
• by providing an illustration very close to the intended concept

It's not as straightforward as one might think, and Kahoot's suggestions can sometimes be perplexing...

g) Assemble everything

Normally everything could be done at the same time, especially if you have a little experience.

But for my learners, I divided everything into steps. So, I asked them to write the questions and answers on a sheet of paper, in small groups. Still in small groups, I asked them to choose the images.

It was only afterwards, after I had reviewed the content of their work with them, that they began to publish it online.

h) Testing, checking, rephrasing

Last step before the actual game: trying out the test with the other participants in the subgroup. Correcting any typing errors, rephrasing any unclear questions, etc.

The Kahoot tournament itself

When both subgroups are ready and the tests have been carried out, I bring them together.

One team invites the other to play their Kahoot. They have chosen the present indicative conjugation.

Both teams will actually play in Team mode. Participants therefore play in teams rather than individually.

I ask them to explain to the other group why it is not the correct answer if that is the case.

Then, the other team tests their Kahoot game in the same way.

Finally, after the tournament, we organise a debriefing session.

• What did they do?
• What difficulties did they face?
• What did they learn?
• Are they proud of their work? Why?

And so on.

Summary of the co-creation teaching approach

Initially, I address all learners.

I present the material using a timeline. They listen, some take notes. They consult the mind map on the questions (CQQCOQP) that I have given them.

Then, I divide them into two subgroups: I try to ensure that the two subgroups are balanced, with both “strong” and “less strong” players in each group.

I ask them to:

• define the subject of their Kahoot
• to draft the questions
• to draft the replies
• to choose the images
• d’assembler le tout

Ils sont dans la collaboration and the co-création. Chacun y va de sa correction, de sa suggestion, de sa critique. Les questions s’élaborent ensemble et les réponses donnent lieu parfois à des débats mouvementés. Les participants vérifient eux-mêmes leurs réponses, ils recherchent dans les tables de conjugaison ou dans la grammaire.

Lorsque les Kahoot sont prêts, on entre en compétition. Les participants ne plaisantent pas : ils veulent gagner. Certains sont mêmes tentés de tricher…

Enfin, les Kahoot sont terminés. Une équipe a gagné les deux jeux, ce qui signifie que l’autre a perdu même à son propre jeu…

Débriefing, les participants s’expriment :

• sur leur ressenti,
• sur ce qui s’est passé,
• sur ce qu’ils ont appris.

On est dans l’évaluation et l’auto-évaluation, deux compétences parmi les plus élevées de la taxonomie de Bloom.

Conclusion – tendre vers la co-création avec vos apprenants

Avec des applications comme Kahoot, il est facile de s’endormir. Je veux dire par là que ces applications ludiques sont très appréciées des participants. Qu’ils en redemandent, alors qu’en général, les séances d’interrogation ne suscitent au mieux que l’indifférence ou la mauvaise humeur.

Les formateurs peuvent donc être tentés de « servir » aux apprenants ce dont ils ont envie. C’est un moyen facile de rassembler tout le monde autour d’une activité pédagogique.

Mais, dans l’apprentissage des langues comme ailleurs, s’arrêter à ce type d’activité, c’est se condamner à ne pas apprendre grand chose…

Avec un peu d’imagination, on peut passer à un niveau supérieur de collaboration, de co-création et d’activités réellements participatives des apprenants. Les apprenants doivent alors faire preuve de créativité, de capacité d’analyse, de coopération, de compétition, d’auto-évaluation… Ce qui enrichit singulièrement une simple activité de test…

Mais, ce n’est pas la technologie qui donne cette dimension supplémentaire aux apprentissage, mais bien l’utilisation pédagogique des formateurs et des enseignants…

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