“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand”.
Studies show that involving students actively in a topic improves their learning standard. One of the best ways to really involve students in a lesson is inquiry-based learning. Inquiry-based learning describes approaches to learning that are based on the investigation of questions, scenarios or problems often assisted by a teacher. Inquiry-based learning involves students, builds new knowledge and improves their skills through questioning and answering approaches. One more way of involving students is game-based learning where they can learn by playing educational games. Just imagine how effective it would be if we were to combine inquiry-based learning with a game-like environment. Kahoot does just this because it brings you a great learning platform that helps educators involve students in lessons by questioning, discussing and surveying in a game-like environment.
What is Kahoot?
Kahoot provides educators and students with a a trusted learning space where educational content is delivered by asking meaningful questions in a social, fun and game-like environment. Kahoot believes in the statement that, ‘great learning starts by asking great questions’. On Kahoot you create a quiz or survey that your students respond to through any device that has a web browser (iPad, Android device, Chromebook). Your Kahoot questions can include pictures and videos.
How does It work?
Go to www.getkahoot.com and create a free account by entering a few details namely, username, email and password. Once you’re done with registration, log in to your account. Here you can create a new kahoot (quiz) for your students. You use a simple ‘drag & drop’ creator tool to build quizzes with embedded imagery and video, based on educational content. Kahoot lets you create a Quiz, Survey or Discussion.
Quiz: This is a points-based multiple choice quiz with unlimited questions.
Discussion/ Survey: This allows you to gather opinions or facilitate debate with 1 quick question.
You can also browse through the public kahoots that have been created by others. At the moment there are over 2 million public kahoots that you can browse and even edit and reuse with your own students in class.
Steps Involved
Kahoot is built on a foundation of three easy steps; Create, Launch and Play. 
Once the teacher has created the kahoot using the drag and drop tool they then launch the content on a smart board or projector in the class. Next they have the students participate by playing the game the teacher has created. To play they go to the site www.kahoot.it. Without needing an account, everyone in the room quickly joins through their personal device, (laptop, ipad, ipod, smart phone etc….by simply entering the pin that is displayed on the projector/smart board in the classroom. Once they enter the pin they type in their name and then they appear on the teachers projected screen as a player.
When the teacher starts the quiz the pupils answer the questions in real-time through an easy-to-use interface. They play against each other aiming to get to the top of the on-screen leader board.
Special Features of Kahoot
Kahoot is somewhat special compared to many existing student quiz/response systems. Here are the key features that separate it from other quiz building environments
- Learner Centered: Kahoot enables students not only to answer the questions but also to ask questions back.
- Supports Any Device: It’s not an iPad or Android app. It’s an online platform that supports any device with a Web browser.
- Game-Based Learning & Academic Research: Gaming mechanics provides additional engagement, motivation and rewards through learners’ participation, with a game-based pedagogy which is proven by academic research.
- Social: Kahoot improves subject knowledge as well as social skills as it is a platform for sharing, browsing or playing with content created by educators and learners globally.
- Student Records: Kahoot provides teachers with a ‘snapshot’ of each learners current understanding and long-term tracking of progress through which they can make formative assessments for adaptive teaching. After each quiz each students scores/errors are recorded
Watch this excellent tutorial and you will be kahooting in no time.
This easy start guide pdf should also prove useful.