What is it?
There is an excellent resource online for teachers wanting to play games in the classroom called Triptico Plus . I have seen the benefits of games in the classroom time and time again, not just as ice-breakers or routine-breakers, but as educational tools.Actually, it's not just about games. There are a multitude of resources for the classroom, such as Seating Plan, Hourglass (timer), Slow Writing (group activity), and Word Magnets (for categorizing). You can find these and 33 others by selecting 'Resources' from the horizontal menu bar. [Do not select 'Activity' as this will only take you to a thread about the website.]
Under Resources, you will see 5 subheadings under the central image of the page: Quizzes, Selectors, Timers, Tools, and Legacy Resources. The final category mysteriously refers to resources currently being updated.
How would I use it?
Since I use games for quizzes and especially for exam reviews, I immediately went for Quizzes, which includes Bingo, Find Ten, Find the Answer, and What's the Question? among others. On the other hand, there are many adaptable resources for games to be found under the other Selectors and Tools headings. For example, the Spinners under Selectors could easily be used for Wheel of Fortune (American game show reference).Also, Cardboard can be used for matching images and text in a competitive context. I have seen the enormous benefits of cultivating and encouraging a competitive spirit in class, especially in groups. This technology collected in one place is an excellent idea. The features of the site are relatively clear and there are intros and demos every step of the way.
Speedbumps?
I've tried to enter multiple questions for one answer because sometimes, the answer is the same, for example: "Where are you going?" and "I'm feeling a bit tired" are both uses of the Present Continuous. Unfortunately, you can't have more than one question per answer and vice versa. Everything should be 1:1 or the system gets confused and doesn't award points properly.However, I am still exploring this site. If you get the chance, my GETs, please post your impressions as comments here!
Hi Estela, I agree with you, I found Triptico really helps in terms of engaging students in active discussions and collaboration. I also love how this tool requires no complex install process and we can create activities simply by typing and dragging. Since you’ve mentioned Wheel of Fortune, I’ve tried the Spinners several times and is currently my favorite game in Triptico. However, there was a slight different feeling of using laptop to play this game. I think ideally having interactive whiteboard might be the great way to apply this tool in classroom.
ReplyDeleteLaila