How “Quizlet Learning Tools and Flashcards” can be used in a course

Amanda Cappon

22 How “Quizlet Learning Tools and Flashcards” can be used in a course

Amanda Cappon

Introduction

Quizlet is a fantastic tool for all courses but is especially useful if you have a course that is heavy with terms and definitions and/or a course with no textbook. Textbooks often include an online site where students can access practice quizzes and flashcards among other tools to help self-assess their knowledge and to study for upcoming tests/exams. Quizlet provides these same practice-type tools and can be customized by the course instructor. As an added feature, Quizlet can also be used “live” in a classroom setting for active engagement with course material and for reviewing concepts.

Benefits of Using Quizlet

You can create multiple, custom question sets
Question sets will help students prepare for tests and exams
Students can have fun with studying by using the game formats that Quizlet has to offer
Great for online and hybrid courses to make the material more engaging
For face-to-face classes, the live version allows students to collaborate and compete
Students can download the Quizlet app to study on the go

Resources

Laptop or computer with internet access
An account with Quizlet (free)
A question set
If using “live”, students also require their own electronic device (phone, laptop or computer)

Steps for Implementation

Step 1: Create a Quizlet account.

You can create an account here at https://quizlet.com/

Step 2: Create a set of questions.

You can either create a single question set each time by clicking “create” at the top of the Quizlet screen. You may also want to create a folder (if planning to make multiple sets for a certain class) by clicking on “create folder” to the left-hand side of the Quizlet home page.

Figure 1. Sample Quizlet account demonstrating two areas to create question set and/or folder

Step 3 Share the quiz URL

Once you are done your question set, share the quiz URL for students to use as independent study/review. If sharing the URL, simply click the “share” arrow beneath your set and hit “copy link” to paste to a learning management system or alternative method of sharing.

Figure 2. Sample URL to demonstrate various formats for sharing question set with students

Step 4 Play “live” with your face-to-face class

On your laptop or computer, log-in and load your question set. Select “live” and then “create game.” Make sure your display is viewable to students. Students then use their own electronic device (laptop or phone) and they go to the URL quizlet.com/live to enter the room number. Quizlet will automatically divide your class into groups. It is recommended that students get up and move to gather with their groups. When students are in and you are ready, click “start game.”

During the game, each student in a given group will see the same question, but they will each have a different display of answers. So, they must work as a team to choose which member has the correct answer on his/her device. When a team gets a question wrong, they go back to “0” and so, this tool encourages accuracy as opposed to just speed.

NOTE: there is a youtube video in the resources section to further expand on how to use the live option.

What Can Go Wrong?

Student tries to use your question set for independent study in a format that does not translate well and leads to student frustration. – Depending on how you have created your set(s), some of the practice options may not bode well (ie., “gravity game”). So, you will want to try out the various options yourself, once you have created your set, to see which formats work best. Then, when you share the link online with students, you can simply add some text to tell them which formats will work best when they are practising at home (ie., “I recommend using this set in flashcard, learn, or matching game format”).

A student adds their name to your “live” Quizlet game, but then leaves the class or decides not to play. – A recommended preventative measure for this is to verbally ask students only to add their names if they are intending to stay as otherwise, it will lead to peers being unable to partake, or having to reshuffle teams. If a student does leave or choose not to play after adding their name to your game, then Quizlet will prompt you with the option to proceed, or to delete names of those who have “left the room.” It is best to choose the option of removing the names. Please be prepared that the game will subsequently reshuffle the remaining students who will then have to re-gather into their groups.

Internet goes down when using “live” quiz in class – If this happens, you can reassure your students that you can resume the quiz, or reset and start again once the internet is back. If the internet is down for so long that your class ends before you can complete the live quiz, you can always give students the URL to quiz themselves outside of class.

Author

Author Image: Amanda Cappon Amanda is a Professor in the Social Service Work Program at Durham College. Amanda has her Masters of Education in Counselling and Psychotherapy as well as a Graduate Certificate specializing in Addictions and Mental Health Counseling. In the Social Service Work Program, Amanda teaches a number of hybrid courses and so she is constantly striving to create a dynamic learning environment with technology tools that can be utilized both in class and for online learning formats.