Gimkit

Description: Website-based tool that allows instructors to upload questions (multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank) to create different formats of games (The floor is lava, Human vs. Zombies, Fishtopia) that can be played synchronously or as assignments asynchronously.

Cost: Free trial period and limited use. Subscription required for full access.

Demo: To learn more about this technology and how to use it as a teaching tool, watch my demonstration of Gimkit.

UDL

Gimkit fits UDL guidelines across all principles; however, it best fits as part of engagement. Depending on how the tool is used for curriculum, it can also be an assessment or content delivery strategy.

Representation: Options for visual/kinesthetic delivery of content that is interactive game play allowing students to comprehend terminology and concepts, which can include higher level critical thinking skills. This fits UDL guidelines by providing options for comprehension, options for language expression, and perception.
Engagement: Provides students opportunity to play asynchronously to increase engagement in learning the material. Students get instant feedback on their choices to help them set their own goals. Also allows community building when used synchronously. This fits UDL guidelines by providing options for self-regulation, sustaining effort and persistence, and recruiting interest.
Action & Expression: Allows students to complete formative assessment as an asynchronous assignment or synchronously as a class. This fits UDL guidelines with providing options for executive functions and expression and communication, and physical action.

For specific areas that Gimkit fits the UDL principles, please see infographic below with highlighted areas showing the specific integration of Gimkit with UDL guidelines.

Curriculum and Example

Using games as learning tools is an effective pedagogy strategy to increase student engagement, learn content, and as formative assessments. Gimkit allows instructors to upload questions to be used in different gaming formats, which allows for variation in playing the games.

In my anatomy and physiology class, I use games for helping students learn anatomy with Purpose Games, but I like the flexibility of Gimkit to teach students more complex concepts and interrelated concepts. For example, in the curriculum example below, instead of quizzing students on vocabulary identification of regional terminology, I can write questions about how the directional terminology and other regional anatomical terms relate to each other. This increases the Bloom's level of critical thinking from just a basic memorization technique. For the entire regional anatomy lesson, I can use multiple gaming and technology tools to help students master the content. For example, they can learn basic memorization with quizlet flashcards and can use Google Jamboard to label a diagram. Then once they complete the quizlet and Jamboard activities the Gimkit will help them review and connect these terms together.

Example: I created this Gimkit game to help students practice relating their regional anatomy terminology to the different regions of the body using directional terminology.

Select the link to play the game as a student. REGIONAL TERMINOLOGY GIMKIT GAME

SWOT Analysis

Context: Online/hybrid college science (anatomy and physiology) course, but can be used in other courses.

S- Variety of gaming formats includes fishtopia, the floor is lava, and humans vs zombies. Shareable and integrates into platforms like Canvas. Games can be team or individually played. Question bank includes options for searchable games and inclusion of media and images.

W- Subscription fee required for full access; does offer free limited options and free trial period. Requires an access code to play games in class, which can be a challenge for students unable to access the game synchronously if lacking a device.

O- Team play allows for community building in synchronous classes. Individual options for assignments allows for formative assessments in asynchronous class. Interactive gaming increases student engagement in learning and provides immediate feedback to set goals for learning.

T- Institutional limitations on subscriptions affect ability to implement gaming tool in curriculum. Assessments limited to student's using games, but cannot create their own games.

Comparison to Other Tools

There are several gaming educational tool available, some free, but many requiring a subscription. I will compare Gimkit with other gaming tools that require a subscription. Gimkit is similar to Kahoot! in that it also is a game format to play in the classroom synchronously. Gimkit also offers an asynchronous assignment activity as well for students to play the game independently. There are more gaming formats than on Kahoot! like Human vs. Zombies, Fishtopia, and the Floor is Lava which can increase student engagement. Some games require teamwork to play, whereas Kahoot! is a competitive tournament style format to play the games. Both are able to input your own questions or search a database of games to share with your students. Both also require a subscription to have full access, but do have limited access options in the free version.

Gimkit can also be compared to Purpose Games as another type of gaming platform that is free. (See Purpose Games section in the repository for a comparison of these two tools.

Reflection

Multiple gaming tools allow for variety in creating engaging activities for students to learn content and for interactive formative assessments in synchronous class. I will likely only use the free version of Gimkit, as there are plenty of other similar free gaming options available. I particularly like the ability to play games with students as a team (i.e. the floor vs. lava) and to assign the same game as an assignment to check individual student progress. Using games is a great interactive way to help students learn the content and set learning goals.

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