Last week the guys from Zondle along with Dr Paul Howard Jones came in to introduce Zondle Team Play to my class and to see it in action! The children in my class are used to Zondle as we make a great deal of use of it in the Autumn term creating quizzes alongside our space topic.

Zondle Team play is a new concept from the team at Zondle and is designed to be used on the IWB or projector and screen with the whole class.  Any Multiple Choice format style questions already inputted in Zondle can be used in team play, although in my opinion works slightly better with a ppt format – the ppt can then be used to teach/re-enforce the learning that has happened – can be sounds/pictures as well as information.  Dr Paul Howard-Jones is involved looking at the neuroscience behind the game and the value of uncertain rewards and how these are related to wanting to find out more – more information about the science behind Zondle play can be found here.

We used a Year 8 Tudor ppt as this would re enforce the work that my year 5 team had carried out in the Spring Term.  I used the powerpoint as a teaching screen reading information and linking it to prior learning.  One of the benefits for me about Zondle Team Play is that it encourages collaboration between the students, which was certainly in evidence when we played.  Also from the teaching point of view once the children had answered the questions, you then as a teacher can go through and look at all the options explaining why they are wrong.

To say the children enjoyed their first go at Zondle Team Play would be an understatement! It was like being on a game show! The children worked together, discussed options and gave their answers and cheered when they got it correct – all sounds like a normal use of multiple choice so far.  Zondle Team Play however gives the team an option before you reveal the answers you ask them if they would like to ‘game’ their answers – this means that if they get it right they have the chance to ‘spin the wheel’  spinning the wheel then gives them a 50:50 chance of either doubling their points or losing them totally for that question.  At first all four teams played it safe with no-one taking the chance to double it – however once one team had tried they soon all went for it.

Some of the questions included things we had not covered during our topic, they also had to use skills of inference and deduction as the answers were not always obvious. This is the beauty of using the Mutliple choice selection – they teacher can alter the type of questions that they give – there is advice on types of question on the Zondle Team play blog As the rounds went on – it is up to the teacher the amount of questions that are set and the points on offer,  the chldren became more and more animated when the scores were announced but also more focused when they were being given information.

For myself, it was insightful watching the children in different groups – listening to their thought processes and how they decided on their answers.  Also how they decided to game up their answers.  As the one at the front I did become involved in the ‘game show’ element of the play – it was brilliant! There is also the opportunity to put in bonus rounds – again all based on chance for the children to earn more points and move back into the game.

The children loved it – they could all tell me something that they had found out/remembered about the Tudors and really enjoyed working together as teams.

Here are some of the thoughts of the children:

“it was good to learn and find out more about the Tudors and work as a team but most of all it was fun – especially the challenge of gaming up”

” I thought the multiple choice was great as it gave all the players something to talk about and discuss, the questions ranged from being easy to being quite difficult -it was a great afternoon and a fun way to learn.”

Zondle Team play is a great new adition to the Zondle family and one that I can see using in my class next year.  The children were enthused and wanted to create their own quizes for next year as well as thinking about quizes they could do at home for family birthdays etc!

Really the possibilities are endless!

What not have a play would be great to hear your thoughts!