What is it?
Quiznetic is a free game based classroom response system that allows you to gather feedback from students through any Internet-connected device including tablets, laptops and smart phones. These game based quizzes provide real-time results and data in a fun and engaging manner for your students. Unlike other game based response system, Quiznetic lets you make online game boards, where students move different spaces in the game if they get the answers to your questions correct. This tool is intended to be used with a device that is connected to an lcd projector.
Once you make an account, you will be given the option to create your game. When you create a game, the first thing you see is the game board screen. The game board screen is where you are adding your background and spaces for your game. You can pick your own background, or you can use a game board created by someone else that already has the spaces and board set up.
There is a tutorial button at the bottom of the page that shows you how to use each feature of this tool. You create the title, and description of your game. Then you decide how a player will move in the game if they have a correct question and how a player will move if they get an incorrect answer. (They move forward the number of spaces you dictate when they get a correct question and they move backwards the number of spaces you indicated if they get the answer wrong. Just like in a real life game board.)
After you make your game board, you can add your questions. You can also make your questions first, then create your board afterwards. The tutorial button shows how you can make questions as well. With your questions, you can add text, images and videos. You type in the question, the answer choices and indicate which answer(s) is the correct one. You can create multiple choice, short answer or numeric input questions. When you are done creating your game, you click on the save button to save your game.
After you have created your quiz, you can save it and then it can be used by your students.
Sharing a quiz with students is easy. When you are ready to share the quiz, you simply click on share button. The system will create a link and the students just need the link to access the game you created. Students do not need an account to access the activity. They simply need to go to their web browser on their personal device( laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc) , go to the quiznetic site and click on join a game button. Students then type in their name and the pin number they are given. The pin number is randomly generated. The pin number gives the students access to the game questions. The pin changes every time a new game session is launched by the instructor. **Up to thirty students can play a game at the same time. Someone needs to be the one who launches the game. (game master.) The game master (teacher or student leading activity) can be launched from any device. Once a game is launched, the site will wait for at least one person to access the activity through his/her device. Once at least one person has accessed the game, then the game can begin. **
After a game is played, the results are collected and you as the instructor will be able to see a report as to how your students did. Reports can also be exported/downloaded as Excel documents to your computer.
Want to see an example of a quiznetic game in action? (You know you do!)
⦁ On your Internet enabled device, go the following url: http://bit.ly/2n80U26 .
⦁ You will see a preview of the game. Click on the green triangle on the left side of your screen.
⦁ This will give you an option to randomize the questions. Click your choice and then you will be given the pin number for the game. On the left side will be a green button that says start game. Click on the start game button to launch the game.
⦁ On another Internet enabled device, go to the quiznetic site and click on the join a game button. Then type in your name and the pin for the game. The game is already launched, play the game and have fun!
Classroom implications
This tool is designed to be played during in class sessions, so there is no homework option as students are competing against each other in real time. Using this tool as a fun, engaging way to assess your students and get instant feedback is a wonderful example of technology integration. Allowing students to create their own games and share them with the class as part of a unit, or project based assessment is a good example of blended learning.
Accessibility of the product
This product has some good accessibility components though it is not 100% accessible for people with disabilities. There is no VPAT(Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) on record on the site, though this may be an International product and only the USA requires VPATs for products as the International laws are different than the laws in the USA.
Now let’s talk about the product got right/wrong:
⦁ The website and most of the tool can be navigated with a keyboard so that means someone with dexterity issues or missing limbs could navigate around the product to use it for creating games. However, one of the biggest components of the tool requires users to create spaces for the game board. This cannot be done with a keyboard alone, and one cannot move the spaces unless they use a stylus, finger or a mouse. This presents a problem for people who cannot use a mouse or stylus to navigate around a screen.
⦁ The site does not relay on colors to make boards, but uses the color green a lot for spaces and the launch button. People who are color blind may have difficulties seeing the spaces for the game, especially if the game boards people use have green or red in them.
⦁ The product can work on any device and does not interfere with the functionality of any assistive technology/device.
⦁ The product does not have any flashy animation-which means people with seizure disorders can use the product with no trouble.
⦁ The product does not have an audio component so questions are not read aloud for visually disabled or learning disabled people.
⦁ The questions on a quiz, however, can be read and understand by screen readers which are devices that allow visually impaired people to have text read aloud to them. ( they have to have the device to do this).
⦁ There is not alternative text or captioning option for any images used in the product. Alternative text are written description of what an image is and can be read by screen readers for visually impaired people. Captions can also be read by screen readers to help visually impaired people understand what an image is about.
So overall, this product gets a C for accessibility. Not terrible, but improvements need to make it more accessible for all. Until next time at the Café!