Edtech’s biggest threat? Kids
Edtech’s biggest threat? Kids
Edtech’s biggest threat? Kids
By Tim Smith
May 26, 2020
Summary
Georgina Farnham, a Barcelona-based English literature and language teacher, was just getting used to the transition to online teaching.
"We were playing a game and it kept just crashing and not giving kids time to answer the questions, and on the leader board, all of these ridiculous names that hadn't been entered into the game as players were coming up: 'gayboy27', 'Covid-19' - offensive names," she explains.
The kids said it was nothing to do with them, and Farnham got worried: "I thought someone had hacked into our game and was watching us, and I was worried for our cyber security."
Farnham quickly contacted the Kahoot! customer service team to find out what was going on.
Farnham's enterprising students had found an innovative way to cause virtual classroom trouble: Kahoot! bots.
A quick Google search for Kahoot! bots throws up a number of websites that allow the user to enter a Kahoot! game code, summoning an ever-replenishing army of disruptive bots to the class.
"Giving educators tools to control their remote learning experience, like Kahoot!'s two-step join, is essential. That said, students in the class also have an important role to play by not sharing classroom game details on social media."
School kids have never been well known for their commitment to classroom order and, according to Farnham, the virtual classroom provides ample opportunity for mischief.
Farnham is yet to experience any seriously unsavoury behaviour from unwanted intruders in class, and is thankful that online tools such as Zoom and Kahoot! are enabling her to keep kids engaged remotely.
"Kahoot! is a complete lifesaver," she says, adding that access to free interactive tools and games can be the difference between a good or a bad lesson.
Reference
Smith, T. (2020, May 26). Edtech's biggest threat? Kids. Retrieved May 26, 2020, from https://sifted.eu/articles/edtechs-sabotage-kids/