Gimkit is an engaging game-based learning platform that is taking classrooms by storm. With its playful interface and variety of game modes, Gimkit is an innovative way for students to review content, collaborate, and have fun while learning.
We guide about What exactly Gimkit is, the benefits it provides for students and teachers, and step-by-step instructions on how to join a game. We will also analyze the different game modes available, upgrades and powerups, and tips and strategies to succeed. Whether you are a student looking to understand Gimkit or an educator better considering implementing it in your classroom, this guide will provide you with everything you need to know.
What is Gimkit?
Gimkit is a free game-based learning platform created by high school student Josh Feinsilber in 2017. It is designed to make learning engaging, competitive, and collaborative. The core functionality allows teachers to create quiz-based games called “kits” to review and reinforce classroom content.
Students then join these teacher-created kits via a unique game code and compete to answer questions correctly to earn virtual currency. This virtual currency can be used strategically throughout the game to purchase upgrades and powerups in order to get an edge over competitors. With multiple game modes and endless customization options, no two games of Gimkit are ever the same.
Since its creation, Gimkit has seen rapid growth and adoption in classrooms worldwide. As of 2022, over 5 million teachers and students actively use Gimkit, with over 95,000 kits created daily. The platform has won numerous educational technology awards and has been featured in prominent publications like EdSurge, Tech & Learning, and EdTech Digest.
Key Features
Here are some of the key features that make Gimkit a stand-out learning game:
- Game-based learning – Applies game mechanics like points, leaderboards, timed competition, virtual currency, etc., to engage students.
- Multiple game modes – From classic mode to battle royale, teams, and zombies, there are many ways to play.
- Teacher controls – Teachers can create, edit, duplicate, and share kits easily. They can also modify game settings.
- Customizable gameplay – Students can purchase powerups and upgrades during gameplay for a unique strategy.
- Real-time data – Teachers can view students’ question performance in real time to understand trouble areas.
- Accessibility – Gimkit works on any device with an internet browser, making it classroom and remote-learning friendly.
By leveraging these game-based learning principles, Gimkit provides an experience that resonates with today’s students far more than traditional paper worksheets and quizzes. It caters to their intrinsic motivations for competition, collaboration, customization, and instant gratification.
Benefits of Using Gimkit
Integrating a tool like Gimkit into the classroom provides a range of benefits for both students and teachers. Let’s analyze;
Benefits for Students
For students, Gimkit offers an entertaining way to engage with classroom content that feels more like playing a game than doing schoolwork. Specific benefits include:
- Enhanced engagement – The game dynamics make learning fun and mentally stimulating. This leads to higher student engagement and motivation.
- Collaboration – Game modes like Team allow students to collaborate, discuss concepts, and develop teamwork skills.
- Healthy competition – Students are motivated to perform at their best to earn points and beat their peers. This friendly competition keeps them engaged.
- Instant feedback – Immediate feedback on question performance helps students identify weak areas to improve.
- Improved retention – Active learning through gameplay enhances knowledge retention compared to passive studying.
- Personalization – Upgrades and powerups allow students to customize gameplay to match their learning styles and strategies.
- Accessibility – The tool is compatible with all devices making learning accessible whether in-person or remote.
By taking advantage of these features, students can learn core academic concepts while enjoying an entertaining gaming experience tailored to their needs.
Benefits for Teachers
For teachers, Gimkit provides an efficient way to create engaging review games without extensive prep time. Key advantages include:
- Review and assess – Gimkit games serve as formative assessments to gauge student understanding of topics covered in class.
- Easy game creation – Kits can be created directly or imported from existing quiz banks quickly.
- Game customization – Teachers can modify game settings like time limits, question types, upgrades available, etc.
- Real-time data – The teacher dashboard provides real-time data on student performance to identify knowledge gaps.
- Differentiation – With multiple game modes, Gimkit allows teachers to cater to different learning styles and abilities.
- Student engagement – Higher student engagement results in less disruptive behavior and fewer classroom management issues.
- Seamless integration – As an online tool, Gimkit integrates easily with popular learning management systems.
- Remote learning – Gimkit enables engaging asynchronous remote learning through shared kits.
With these advantages, Gimkit empowers teachers to elevate the learning experience, collect meaningful assessment data, and significantly enhance student motivation.
How to Join a Gimkit Game
Joining a Gimkit game is simple and easy. As a student, all you need is the unique 4-digit game code provided by your teacher to enter a live game. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough:
Step 1 – Launch Gimkit
Go to the Gimkit website at www.gimkit.com. You will see the main menu with options to Create, Join, and Manage games. Click on the purple “Join” button.
Step 2 – Enter Game Code
On the next screen, enter the unique 4-digit game code that the teacher displays on their screen during a live game. This connects you directly to that teacher’s game.
Step 3 – Set nickname
You can now set a nickname to identify yourself in the game. You can choose your fun nickname or use the built-in name generator for random names like “Peaceful Panda” and “Jumping Jellyfish.”
Step 4 – Customize avatar
Next, you can customize your avatar. Choose accessories like glasses, hats, headphones, and masks. This adds to the fun and personalizes the experience.
Step 5 – Join the game
Review the game code and nickname you entered. Once ready, click the purple “Join Game” button. The game will launch once the teacher starts it.
And that’s it! Within seconds, you will be transported into the virtual Gimkit classroom, ready to compete and collaborate with your peers. The simple game entry process makes it effortless for students to participate.
Game Modes
One aspect that makes Gimkit so engaging is its variety of game modes. These modes provide different ways for students to interact with the content. Let’s analyze some of the most popular modes.
Classic
This is the original Gimkit mode that started it all. In Classic mode, you compete solo to answer multiple-choice questions and earn virtual currency. You use this currency to purchase upgrades and powerups to maximize your earnings with the goal of finishing first.
Classic mode allows you to play at your own pace, implement custom strategies, and focus on your performance. This makes it ideal for individual review and formative assessment.
Team
In Team mode, players work collaboratively in small teams to answer questions and build collective earnings. You can purchase upgrades that benefit your whole Team. Teams compete on the leaderboard and race to finish first together.
Team mode promotes peer discussion and teamwork. Students can learn from teammates and leverage each other’s strengths. This collaborative approach teaches interpersonal skills while reviewing material.
Battle Royale
Battle Royale is a competitive elimination-style mode where players are knocked out if they answer a question incorrectly. The last student standing wins. Powerups can be used to avoid elimination or knock out opponents.
The high-stakes competition creates excitement and incentivizes quick thinking under pressure. Only the strongest Gimkit challengers will prevail in this action-packed mode!
Humans vs. Zombies
This unique mode divides players into humans and zombies. Humans try to answer questions correctly to survive, while zombies try to infect others by answering incorrectly. Infected humans join the zombie horde!
Humans vs Zombies brings an element of surprise and strategy. Staying alive requires speed, accuracy, and clever use of powerups. Who will avoid the impending zombie apocalypse?
Trust No One
In Trust No One, all players compete solo with no teams. However, you can steal money from opponents by answering questions faster than them before they can lock in their answers.
With shifts between offense and defense, Trust No One keeps you on your toes. You’ll need quick reflexes to protect your earnings while snagging money from competitors.
Customizing Your Experience
A major part of what makes Gimkit so engaging is the ability to customize your gameplay experience through upgrades, powerups, and other tools. Let’s explore how you can tailor the game to match your learning style and strategies.
Upgrades
In most Gimkit modes, players can purchase permanent upgrades during gameplay that provide bonuses and perks using earned virtual currency. Some popular upgrades include:
- Multipliers – Increase your earnings per correct answer. For example, a 2x multiplier doubles your money.
- Insurance – Protect a portion of your earnings when you answer incorrectly.
- Streak Bonus – Earn bonus money for consecutive correct answers.
- Faster Speed – Reduce the time it takes you to answer questions.
- More Time – Increase your time limit to answer questions.
- Immunities – Avoid certain powerups used against you like Freeze or Bomb.
With careful upgrade selections, you can customize your scoring, speed, protection, and other factors to support your gameplay style. Do you want to play more aggressively? Buy multipliers. More defensively? Invest in insurance and immunities. Tailor your upgrades to your strategy.
Powerups
Powerups are consumable items that provide short-term benefits when activated during a game. They allow you to affect yourself and other players directly. Common powerups include:
- Freeze – Immobilize opponents briefly so they cannot answer.
- Bomb – Make competitors lose a portion of their unprotected earnings.
- Swap – Switch places on the leaderboard with another player.
- Shield – Become briefly immune to offensive powerups used against you.
- Reveal – Temporarily see the correct answer before responding.
Powerups inject fun chaos into games. Use them judiciously to swing the game in your favor at critical moments. But beware, they can be used against you too!
Custom Kits
Teachers can create fully customized kits revolving around any topic or content area they choose. When playing a teacher’s custom kit, you get to engage with material that is tailored specifically to what you are studying in class.
The versatility of Gimkit allows educators to remix the tool completely for their needs. This results in an experience that feels integrated into the curriculum rather than an external add-on.
Performance Tracking
After each game, Gimkit provides players with performance statistics and feedback. You can see your accuracy percentages, question response times, upgrades purchased, powerups used, and more.
Analyzing these post-game analytics allows you to refine your strategies and improve results over time. It transforms the tool into an opportunity for meaningful self-evaluation.
With these expansive customization options, Gimkit provides maximum flexibility no matter your learning goals. You have full control to tailor the experience to your individual needs and style.
Tips and Strategies
Now that we’ve covered the basics of Gimkit let’s discuss some tips and strategies to succeed when you enter a game:
- Read questions carefully – Don’t rush! Make sure you fully understand each question before answering.
- Think before buying upgrades – Be selective in how you spend your money. Focus on upgrades that align with your goals.
- Use powerups wisely – Wait for critical moments in the game when powerups can clinch a win or catch opponents off guard.
- Find optimal balance – Balance your time between answering quickly and making strategic decisions.
- Learn from mistakes – Stay calm if you answer incorrectly. Think about what you can improve next round.
- Collaborate if in teams – Communicate with teammates, discuss ideas, and work together to maximize team earnings.
- Have fun – At the end of the day, Gimkit is about making learning engaging. The more fun you have, the more you’ll learn!
Gimkit has an element of skill beyond just knowledge. Implementing strategies around timing, upgrades, powerups, and teamwork can give you an edge. Learn the game mechanics and find what works for you!
Conclusion
Gimkit has cemented itself as one of the most engaging game-based learning tools available today. Its blend of competitive gameplay, multiplayer dynamics, and customization provides students with an entertaining way to engage with academic content.
Teachers can leverage the platform as a formative assessment tool to gauge student understanding. Meanwhile, learners are motivated to excel by the game reward systems and peer accountability.
By following the simple steps to join a game, you can now dive into the world of Gimkit. Compete solo or collaborate with teams, purchase upgrades tailored to your style, and immerse yourself in active learning. With the right strategies, you are ready to succeed.
So get ready to join a game, answer hard-hitting questions, and watch your learning reach new heights!