I've had this platform on my 'to investigate' list for some time, but had too many distractions. Finally, the time has come for me to get bamboozled 🥳😵😁. No devices neededBamboozle can be shared on socials and in google classroom, but it's meant to be played on big screen in class, with students divided in teams. The free version is quite limited. It only gives you one game mode - a jeopardy-style of question cards. Each question can be given a different amount of points, plus there are some 'power-ups'. These make the Bamboozle a bit more exciting and dramatic. Quick and easyThe interface is very intuitive and self-explanatory. The existing game bank is vast so you don't have to create your own sets from scratch. 📂The free version only gives you ONE folder, so organizing might be challenging once you collect a lot of LIKED games. Excellent warm up, but...I found it great to start the brain juices flowing at the beginning of the class. It worked well at the end, too, but... ❌🎶🎵There is no music so it might get dull if we play at he end of a two- or three-hour session. The music of Kahoot and Blooket uplifts the students and gives them the energetic push for those last ten minutes of the class. I found that, with four teams, having more than 8 questions is also a bit bland. The gifs and funny images help break the monotony, but I feel like there need to be some sound effects, like in Wordwall. Give it a goI don't think I will pay for the Bamboozle account, although they offer 50%OFF. I already have a lot of other options, so it's hard to keep up with creating games/quizzes/activities in Blooket, Kahoot, Wordwall, Nearpod, Quizlet, Pixton, and even mind maps in MindMeister. However, if you do not have the drained budget like me, I think there is great value in Bamboozle Plus. The additional features seem quite attractive. It's good to know that the games, unlike Wordwall, cannot be embedded to a website or rich content editor. 🔗This is why I am attaching the link so you can check it out.
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Students as avatarsThey can 'play' in teams, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. They choose one of the three types of characters. Each type has different characteristics and powers. Teacher is a game masterDecide which behaviour is going to be rewarded and which punished. Involve students in the decision-making process. Organize Tasks into QuestsThis is where the fun starts! The Quests are placed on a map, giving the students a sense of space and orientation. The locations are as magical as the characters and the ready-made stories. A Quest is a logical unit of tasks you would do in a week or two. They can be a discussion, assignment - writing, quiz (link to Google Forms); or something they need to do offline. You can create multimedia tasks, embed videos and other content, format text, use colors, attach documents,... The great part is that you can create branching, so that the students who need more or less support do not have to 'walk the same path'. Just having a spatial representation of progress is beneficial enough for students with learning difficulties. And guess what - there are also quizzes they can do in class! Boss Battle![]() It can be a team or student, random or chosen. However, the free version only gives you one monster to fight. It's all too overwhelming?Don't worry, the Classcraft team have excellent Teacher Support, and they even provide free training. You will be able to do a quest to get certified. They guide you through each task and step, and if you just invest some time and imagination, you can become a game master!
Start today and enjoy this exciting fantasy with your students!
These are only five most typical classroom activities translated to the online setting. You can, of course, adapt them using your preferred online tools.
Here's a tip: use thinglink to create interactive reading and writing material for your student who struggles with those skills! They have a great voice-reading feature as well as breaking down the words into syllables. You can create virtual tours, link videos and websites to your pictures. |
AuthorMartina Matejaš is a teacher of English and Yoga. She is keen on understanding the mind-body connection as well as cracking the 'code' of thoughts-emotions-behaviour matrix. Archives
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