Kahoot! and Skype are two of my favorite tools that help me disrupt traditional ways of teaching and make learning fun. I’ve been consistently using them both over the past few years. Both Kahoot! and Skype made my students more engaged and active than any other class format.

I haven’t, however, tried using these two tools together until I recently read an article about Kahoot!’ing through Skype in the Microsoft Educator Community. It sounded like a great idea, and I immediately decided to give it a try. Here is how it panned out in my class.

Kahoot!’ing via Skype for the first time

Through the Microsoft Educator Community, I got in touch with Ms. Mio Horio from Japan, a Skype Master Teacher. She kindly agreed to host a learning game about Japan for my learners, and I asked them to read up on the topic to prepare for the upcoming class.

My students couldn’t wait for the game, and when we connected to Mio in the class, they got really excited and loud. Once Mio shared the game PIN, there was not a single student in the classroom who wasn’t engaged! Learners loved the questions about Japan, for example, around geography and the written language.

Time flew! We all enjoyed the session, and when Mio said goodbye, my kids didn’t want to stop. We decided we’d definitely connect again soon!

I realized that combining Kahoot! and Skype unlocked some classroom magic we haven’t known before with other learning formats. This combo made my students more eager to learn new things and look forward to the class.

6 steps to unlocking the magic of Kahoot! and Skype

1. Start with a topic for your Skype kahoot – select one that will spark your students’ interest.
2. Connect with a teacher or class – they can be from the same country or overseas. What matters the most is that they’re just as fond of your subject as you are! You can find classes or teachers ready to connect on this page within Microsoft Educator Community.
3. Put your heads together to prepare the kahoot on your selected topic. If you need some inspiration, there are a lot of practical tips on the Kahoot! website and in the blog.
4. Before connecting in the classroom, ask your students to test internet connection on their laptop, phone or tablet. Now you’re all set for the play!
5. It can get quite loud in the classroom, so you might need to repeat questions a couple of times.
6. Wrap up the session by asking your students to summarize what they have learned. Don’t forget a round of applause for the teacher who hosted the connected kahoot!

I definitely recommend other educators to try this new way of teaching – it’s fun, engaging and motivating for students.

Nam Thanh is a primary school teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In 2015, he was presented with the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert Award, and in the same year he represented Vietnam at the Microsoft Global Forum. Now, he is Microsoft Innovative Educator Fellow, Skype Master Teacher and Microsoft Teacher Ambassador.