I wish I’d discovered Educake’s online quizzes when I was supporting SEND students in my last teaching role. I regularly used interactive games and quizzes in class, as these really grabbed the attention of my ASD students in particular.
However, these had pitfalls that I’m sure many teachers can relate to, such as distracting graphics and an over-emphasis on chasing high scores.
Educake overcomes these through some subtle but powerful features.
Simplified view
Have you discovered the ‘reduce contrast’ button? Selecting this option during quizzes removes formatting that can cause a distraction or sensory overload for some students, allowing them to focus purely on the important text.
Less anxiety
Chasing virtual scores can lead to real anxiety, so Educake offers a low-stakes approach to homework and revision, focusing on individual progress rather than attainment. Instead of being encouraged to earn points or medals, students are motivated to improve on their own progress through a clear traffic-light view:
Students take ownership of their personal progress, which is visible only to the individual student and their teacher, out of the spotlight.
There’s also the ‘Hide score’ button. Using this, students can cover up their cumulative score when they’re in the middle of a quiz, allowing them to focus on one question at a time.
Questions for all abilities
You understand your students best, so we give you control over how to pitch your quizzes. Educake’s difficulty filter uses a 1-4 dot range:
This makes it easier to set differentiated quizzes.
Having another go
Many of my students struggled with fixed mindsets. Educake addresses this by offering students a safety net – they can retake quizzes as many times as they like.
What’s more, their teacher can view all of their attempts in the Markbook, making it easier to recognise and reward effort.
Teacher Top Tip
Did you know that students can be assigned to multiple classes? That means you can easily assign students to various intervention groups.
If you happen to have a teaching assistant, they can manage these groups from their own Educake account, setting quizzes and monitoring progress. Delegation = freedom!
Author Bio: Sarah Strange is an account manager at Educake. She has wide experience as a former teacher, from primary through to FE. She is an advocate of student-led methods and believes in saving teachers time and energy, through helping them explore the full value of Educake. When she is not busy being a mum to two energetic boys, Sarah winds down with yoga, movies and good food.
