Kahoot! gamifies multiplication

Kahoot has pulled a neat trick, it takes the boringness out of learning by turning it into a game, it works with the humanities and it seems to work with maths too.

Kahoot! Multiplication by DragonBox was developed by a team of pedagogy experts and learning experience designers. It integrates learning science with fun gameplay, motivating kids to keep levelling up their multiplication skills.

The DragonBox teaching methods have been tested and developed in collaboration with more than 60,000 teachers and students. Used in Nordic classrooms since 2018, DragonBox’s Maths curriculum has seen results; Nurmelan school in Finland raised their student’s Maths scores to the top of the country’s ranking while using the DragonBox curriculum from 1st to 3rd grade.

Miss Molly Delaney, a Melbourne-based Primary Casual Relief Teacher (CRT) says, “We know that multiplication tables play a fundamental role in later, more advanced maths learning. However, the rote style recital of times tables we all grew to hate in our younger years doesn't help students form an understanding of the core concept and how to apply it to future mathematical problems.

“It’s exciting to have a tool like the Multiplication App available to stretch students ready to take the next step in their maths learning journey. It’s also a great step towards a more engaging form of learning with mini-games allowing students to explore a wide variety of activities through different contexts to make their newly acquired skills stick.

“The mood changes when Kahoot! is mentioned. As a primary school CRT teacher, I consistently move between different year levels and the overwhelming reception to a Kahoot! quiz or project is positive. The 'lobby' sound of Kahoot! is massive on TikTok, which gives the platform a lot of 'cool factor' with students. They love having the opportunity to build their own kahoots from scratch, and it's always clear they feel a great sense of pride when presenting their quizzes to the class.”

Kids who don't respond well in standard testing environments or struggle to pay attention often engage well with Kahoot!.

“As much as we try to make the curriculum fun and enjoyable for our students, it's hard to disassociate tests, projects or assignments from feelings of stress and anxiety. The supporting sounds and images also help support students who perform strongly with different learning styles."

By building quizzes around the exact subject matter being taught, teachers get a solid overview on how each student is tracking with the subject matter in a relaxed environment. This helps us recognise which concepts or topics require further attention, without the pressure of a bad test mark hanging over a student’s head.

“I'm self-aware enough to know I'm not the most tech-savvy person, but I found Kahoot! incredibly easy to use. I took some time to explore the platform and the different categories, kahoots and features. Now it takes me almost no time at all to set up my own kahoots in line with the curriculum,” Delaney says.

The app is good for learning at home or on the go. With more than 20 mini-games, it keeps kids interested and does not require prior knowledge of multiplication. The app adapts to each child's individual level, making it easy for children to play and learn independently and at their own pace.

The Kahoot Multiplication by DragonBox app can be downloaded for free on iOS and Android devices. The free version of the app allows kids to play five challenges each day. You can unlock unlimited access to the application’s games by making a one-time purchase of the game for AU$14.99, or purchasing a Kahoot!+ Family plan for AU$13.49 per month.