What tools have you used to create content review-type games?

[Cindy_Masek]

I'm looking for tools to use to create engaging content review exercises. I would also like them to be live in Canvas and not require a link or passwords to a different location.  I've used Quizlet and  SoftChalk in the past (before they cloud based).  Quizlet is ok, but I am looking for something with a greater diversity of activities. Softchalk worked well in ANGEL but now that we are in Canvas, does it work as well?  Any feed back on these products or suggestions would be appreciated!

[Chris_Hofer]

I know this is probably older software, but have you ever tried creating a crossword puzzle game for your students using Hot Potatoes?  Hot Potatoes Version 6   I've not used it for a very long time, but if memory serves, you could insert this into a course.  I did this a few times several years ago in a different LMS, and students could fill in the answers right within a course page.  I don't think there's a way to "save" the answers per student...it's just more of a fun activity for students to complete and self-check.

[PeggyR]

Newbie here. Does anyone know how to insert a Hot Potatoes crossword puzzle into Canvas?

[GideonWilliams]

I can't believe Hot Potatoes is still going. It is awesome. Used it all the time with Moodle.

I need to go back to check on old notes. There was a plug in for Hot Potatatoes in Moodle so it was integrated. Sadly not in Canvas.

Whilst I look around, there are other FREE crossword game creators you can use from different sources:

LearningApps - interactive and multimedia learning blocks

CurrikiStudio (H5P software)

Educaplay: Free educational games generator (some adverts)

Educandy - Making Learning Sweeter! Create and share your own games! (good for K6)

[PeggyR]

Thank you for your quick reply and for providing those very useful links! 😊

[GideonWilliams]

So I downloaded Hot Potatoes - now Version 7

The GOOD NEWS (provided you don't use any images in the quiz) is that the quiz is saved as an html file.

You have two choices on how to present it to students:

You can upload it to your Files area and then link to it

You can upload it to your Files area then copy the link and use iFrame Generator iFrame Generator - Free Online iFrame Code Maker Tool (iframe-generator.com) to create some html code. You can then embed the code so it displays on the page.

Unfortunately, there is no "Allow FullScreen' feature that works with Hot Potatoes so the file size width: 100% and height: 600 px usually gets the entire quiz on screen without scrolling.

Although there is no integration with Canvas, you could save the Hot Potatoes quiz as a Scorm file and link to that through a Scorm LTI assignment. This means scores will be saved in the gradebook. I've not got this installed so not been able to test it..

[PeggyR]

That is great news! I imported the link to my Files area, and then copied the link to my clipboard and inserted it into a page of my course. It works!

[GideonWilliams]

Superb. Would you like me to show you how to embed it on the page so it can be played on there and not a link?

[PeggyR]

Thanks for offering, but for the time being, I'm trying to keep it simple, so I can explain to other instructors how to add the crossword links to their course sites. 🙂

[awilliams]

This is an interesting question. I'm going to share it to Instructional Designers​ to see if it gets any more attention there.

[Stef_retired · Accepted solution]

 @Cindy_Masek ​, this is a great question for the Instructional Designers​ group space, and I hope we can keep it open so that contributions keep pouring in!

We had a similar discussion in the old community, and these are some of the suggestions  @dhulsey ​ contributed, including his comments on SoftChalk:

• SoftChalk Cloud is super awesome because you can use it to present text and can embed videos, images, and pretty much anything else you can think of.  It features inline quizzing and learning activities that can write to the Canvas grade book. Here, for instance, is the SoftChalk I use as a course tour: https://www.softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/Jcdnktusb1UyPv/html
• I also use SoftChalk to present assignment instructions and quiz students about the instructions, which I find results in more students reading the instructions. Here is an example: https://www.softchalkcloud.com/lesson/serve/WpfxLOZyr185Aa/html
• Here's a Canvas Guide Tutorial on linking a SoftChalk lesson to Canvas as an assignment: How do I link to a SoftChalk lesson from an Assignment in Canvas?
• For lecture capture, check out http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/ . The pro accounts are quite reasonably priced.
• I like to use Haikudeck  https://www.haikudeck.com/ for visuals and then record audio and video with  http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/.
• Explainer videos are all the rage these days. Try Powtoon out:  http://www.powtoon.com/
• There are tons of services out there that are often free for educators, ranging from Thinglink to Animoto. To my thinking, SoftChalk is a smooth integration with Canvas with lots of built in features and a reputation for accessibility.  It also lets you take advantage of anything a professor wants to embed from a variety of sources and quiz students on.

 @dhulsey ​ also contributed one of his sample Quizlet decks: Cards: Chapter Three: Does The Center Hold? Sample | Quizlet

In addition, you might get some ideas from  @G_Petruzella ​'s Media and HTML Examples document, which provides a link to Gerol's Lab . Nifty, no?

Hope this helps! Happy Canvassing! happypanda​

[Stef_retired]

 @Cindy_Masek ​, you might also want to browse the Canvas Course Collections. (For now, I'm providing the link to the old community, and will post the new link as soon as the CCC has been moved to the new community.) This page provides examples of how to leverage Canvas's quiz options (without having to use any external tools): Quiz: Using Quizzes and Polls | Canvas Course Collections | Canvas Guides

[scottdennis]

Hot off the presses as of Friday: Canvas Resources

[Stef_retired]

Thank you,  @scottdennis ​! I'll be posting the link to Canvas Resources​ everywhere upon my return.

[pattyd]

Hi Cindy,

It would depend on what you want to do with this activity, is the intent to be used as a reinforcement tool for the lesson or lecture, a check yourself type activity, or would you like to have it graded?  Have you ever heard of Elearning Brothers.  There are may templates available here that can easily be edited, updated and embedded into your course for as low as $99.00 per year.  If it reinforcement from a lecture that you are looking for you could easily use the quiz function to create interactive learning that is gradable. Here is a very good video that demonstrates this.

[kroeninm]

Hi Cindy,

To add/reiterate what others have mentioned.

Paid

• We use Elearning Brothers occasionally as mentioned (paid subscription).
• We use StudyMate through the Respondus company as well (paid subscription, authoring tool only available on PC)
• I've used Softchalk in the past as well but more for lesson creation with inline activities.

Free-ish

• For free tools, I usually recommend Quizlet but I also really like Kubbu though I feel like I don't know enough about it.  It has some great options for interaction, is very simple, and I think if you aren't using the analytics it's free for under 15 activities.

Typically

• Since Canvas has both practice quizzes (not graded, immediate feedback, and analytics) as well as graded surveys (no marking incorrect/correct but can be used for self-checks and students can receive full credit for completing so you can motivate them) I often just use Canvas.  If you were an instructor, I'd probably ask what types of goals you have and how you define "engaging" and then try Canvas first.  Though some of the other tools do fit very specific purposes that Canvas may not (i.e. the crossword puzzle type interactive), some instructors really just want multiple choice or matching questions displayed in a more "fun" way .  With visuals and good design, it often is just as effective within Canvas.

Great question, watching for other good ideas!

- Melanie

[cfranklin]

Hello, Cindy,

SoftChalk works great with Canvas.   If you have graded activities, the scores will go right into the Grades.

Also, with the SoftChalk Cloud, you can link the same activity into many courses.  Need to update or edit - just do it once! 

I have a SoftChalk lesson in every one of my Modules in my online courses.   They have lots of new activities you can use.   I like the options on scoring too - like record highest score, latest score, etc.

The style templates also make it look like you worked very hard.   They have a wide variety of colors and layouts and it creates a clickable Table of Contents.

Cynthia

[awilliams]

Shall we turn this into a discussion rather than a question  @Chris_Hofer ​,  @kona ​ or stefaniesanders​?

[kona]

This is definitely more of a discussion, but in groups I think either the person who created it or a Group admin has to be the one to change it. I don't have the ability to change it.

[scottdennis]

Hey All,

In my opinion this one was a great question to which many of you gave even greater answers - a gold mine here.

[Cindy_Masek]

Thanks everyone for such a great discussion!  I hope others have found this as useful as I have.  We are investigating several purchased products and I will post more as we experience them first hand.

[scottdennis]

Thank you,  @Cindy_Masek ​.  Please do come back and share how it goes for you.

[kmeeusen]

Cindy:

I use SoftChalk Cloud extensively in Canvas, and truly love it. One of the advantages of the cloud version is that after you embed the content in a Canvas classroom, you can update it it SoftChalk, and embedded content is also updated. Also, with the SoftChalk Cloud, the graded activities can be linked to the Canvas grade book, which is a huge advantage. I am even using it for my syllabi, Course Schedules, and even embedding single SoftChalk activities in pages. SoftChalk's cloud repository features are also very useful.

I hope this is helpful.

Kelley

[kmeeusen]

I will echo what Stephanie has stated about Softchalk Cloud.

I have been using this tool for many year (long before it created it's cloud version), and love it. Learning curve is almost instantaneous - I was literally up and running in ten minutes, it's ease of integration with Canvas is awesome, and it provides for a wide variety of learning activities all of which are html5 based rather than Java or Flash.