Buzz Me In
Gamification is described as: "the application of typical elements of game playing (e.g. point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service" (Oxford Dictionary). One way to incorporate game-based learning is to include devices such as buzzers.
Buzz me in Heading link
Medical students love competition, this we know. At UICOM, we have used the competitions feature of Poll Everywhere, Kahoot!, and even Jeopardy. But what if we could take some of these games for learning to the next level? Introducing buzzers! The Peoria campus has been using these buzzers already, and recently the college purchased four sets (making 16 buzzers total) for the Chicago campus.
Chicago campus has four sets of four buzzers each. Some recommendations:
- Try to avoid doing anything that is game-based in a typical auditorium setting; it works better overall in the flipped classroom setting.
- Practice using them before you use them in front of students so you get an idea how they work. Doing some preparation will help reduce any anxiety you might have about using these devices.
How do you go about getting them? For the Chicago campus, just contact Max.