Start Class with a Quiz
Though quizzes are often perceived as an evaluation tool to measure learning after a course of study, taking a quiz can be a useful part of the learning process itself. With BrainPOP’s Quiz Mixer tool, teachers can write their own multiple-choice or open-ended questions, customize ours, or conduct polls. After students complete a quiz and submit their results, BrainPOP can display a summary of those results (with students’ names removed; see image below). The summarized data can inform instruction for the rest of the class.
Check out our “top 10 list” of benefits to starting class with a quiz.
- Focus: By starting a class period with a quiz, you’re giving students a taste of what’s to come. . . without having to tell them what’s to come.
- Schema: Well-written questions help students better accommodate new information as it’s introduced or reviewed later.
- Engagement: Quizzes require students to actively do something, which can help them let go of whatever they were doing before class.
- Fun: Encourage educated guesses and reassure students you’re more interested in their thoughts than in what they get wrong or right.
- Shared Experience: After students have taken the same quiz and viewed results together, it’s clearer to everyone which content needs to be explored more thoroughly.
You can “hide names” by clicking the checkbox. Then project the results and use the data as entry points for conversation!
- Formative Assessment: The results of this quiz provide both instructors and students with information that can make class time more effective and efficient. It also provides a baseline for future assessment.
- Differentiate: After viewing a class summary of quiz results, you have a better sense of who knows what. You can use that information to group students, assign tasks, and work flexibly. If proceeding with whole-class instruction, you’ll have more insight into which content you should focus on.
- Setting Expectation: Taking a quiz right away demonstrates that class time will involve action and require engagement. (It’s up to you to keep the momentum going though!)
- Learning Process: Learning happens through various forms of engagement. Using either a prefabricated or customized BrainPOP quiz is an easy, engaging way to get students processing concepts, vocabulary, and ideas.
- Reduce Fear: If you’re transparent about these reasons for using a quiz with your students, you’re encouraging a different perspective on the value of a quiz as a learning activity.
What’s your favorite part of this list? Let us know in the comments section. Or share your reasons to start class with a quiz!
