fantastic tool that allows the teacher to collect useful data while engaging students in a
game-show type of atmosphere. Get started at getkahoot.com and enjoy the many online
resources they offer. I highly recommend it!
What is Plickers? Plickers is an online assessment tool that allows teachers to collect
immediate formative assessment data without students needing devices. Only the
teacher will need a device to use and the app is free! Now you can present a pop quiz or
discussion point in the middle of
rehearsal and collect individual
feedback with the student’s flash of a
piece of paper! In instrumental music
performance classes this is
particularly valuable since students
don’t have to manipulate a device
around their instruments. How does it
work? You assign each student an
answer card that
you can print off
for free at plickers.com/cards (up to 63 cards per class.) You can
pose the question anyway you want but Plickers allows you to live
feed from your computer so you can project the question on your
whiteboard/smart board. Students hold up their answer and you
scan the room with the app on your phone, iPad or similar device.
Each rotation of the card equals an answer choice (4 possible
answers multiple choice or true/false.) The free Plickers app
collects the student data and stores it for you in a grade book. You
can create grade reports in CSV format to export to your grading
system. Plickers also offers free webinars to help you get started as
well as other online resources. It is worth looking into!
Keeping students engaged in learning is what music teachers excel at, but it is really nice
to have some fun options for assessments that help us keep the classroom atmosphere
upbeat. I hope you found the information about Kahoot! and Plickers helpful.
Regardless of the tools you use to teach, I hope your journey through this upcoming
school year is a magical one!
Rebecca is the 5-8 band director, 6-8 choral director and jazz band director at Reeds Brook
Middle School, RSU22 in Hampden, Maine.