Mouse Mischief | Part One
Having been inspired on the Microsoft stand @ BETT by @innovativeteach and @chickensaltash and their use of Microsoft Mouse Mischief, I returned home inspired to increase the level of competition in my classroom.
I have since purchased 20 wireless mice and USB hubs to facilitate the use of this excellent plugin for Microsoft PowerPoint.
What is it?
The Mouse Mischief plugin allows the creator of the presentation to include questions in to the presentation which can be set to either multiple choice, yes/no or drawing based questions. When the presentation is running multiple mouse users can move their own individual mouse pointers to each of the possible answers, click on their answer and check their learning. At the end of each question, the plugin tells the audience a) who answered the correct question first and b) how many people got the correct answer.
A nice little demo video on Youtube can be found here:
How has it changed learning?
What I have found in my classroom is that the quizzes:
a) Inspire learners to concentrate more in class as they like to win
b) Inspire learners to work harder as they only get to ‘play’ the quiz if they have worked well in the class
c) Check learning in plenaries in a fun and innovative way
d) Previously created quizzes act as a good way of revising previous learning/topics
How could it be better?
One thing that I think would be good with the plugin would be if it was able to say who had won the overall quiz at the end of the presentation. As it stands at the moment, I have to get another individual in the class to act as quiz master and record who ‘wins’ each question in the quiz to work out the overall winner.
Why should you use it?
You don’t have to, but I have found it to be a really useful tool in my arsenal of teaching tools to help inspire and engage learners, particularly those who can sometimes like to play games – this way, they get to play a game in your lesson in a way that you can closely control that links directly to their learning. This plugin allows gaming to take place in the lesson in a fun, controlled and safe environment with a minimal cost outlay for the mice and the USB hubs. The software itself is free.
More info
To find out more about the plugin please visit http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/en-gb/default.aspx where it can be downloaded for free and you can get some sample presentations, watch some videos of it being used and get a few more ‘pointers’ than I have described here such as these lesson examples: http://www.microsoft.com/multipoint/mouse-mischief/en-gb/lessons.aspx
Happy Mouse Mischiefing!
Watch out for ‘part 2’ where I will upload some examples of quizzes that I have made for some of my students in my ICT lessons.
Comments / experiences of your own welcome!