LEARNING GAMES FAQ

• What's the difference between the Thumballs and the Conversation Decks?
  To be honest, much of the content is the same. We heard from trainers that some were reluctant to start throwing balls around the room; others simply wanted a quieter vibe. So we re-visioned the Thumball activities as "UNZip-It" activities, where players can pick a card, read the question, and speak freely. Next, we made the content usable to online groups through both our UNZiP-IT Remote PowerPoint Decks and the Trainers Exchange, where users will have access to all the conversation prompts for one low annual subscription.
• What are the pros and cons of answer boards and game show answer buzzers?
  Dry-erase answer boards, give every participant a voice and let every participant answer your questions. Trainers and teachers are able to gauge the entire class and see how well the whole group is doing.
  
  Game show buzzers are unequaled in their ability to create a playful, exciting learning environment. The lights and electronics dazzle learners. Competitions spur engagement and team spirit, which is likely to remain with players long after a learning game. Their only downside possible is that they may limit the number of active players. In response skilled facilitators adapt their method of play to include the greatest possible number of players. Some choose to use phone-based buzzer apps like Meridia's CloudVote that allow every player to answer every question.
• How can I involve the most players when using game answer buzzers?
  Game shows having too many teams can be frustrating because the teams will have a hard time accumulating points. Game show experts, suggest that you limit the number of teams to 2-4. These formats can allow you to involve more people in the game:

  • Play in teams
    • Have multiple players gather around a single buzzer pad. Trainer Warehouse buzzers are made to sit on a table, rather than being handheld, so that several team members can easily reach the pad.
    • Form a line for each team. The teammate at the head of the line has a chance to answer the team's question.
    • Allow teammates to consult one another before answering.
  • User buzzers that block-out previous responders
    • Some buzzers allow EVERY participant to answer, each time the buzzer system is reset. Me First! Game Buzzers will let you block previous responders until everyone has had a chance to answer a question.
  • Employ "ask the audience" or "ask a friend" techniques.
    • You can use this either before the player submits their answer
    • Or, you can use this method to see test if the answer is correct. If the answer is wrong, but the audience agreed with the answer, award the points, and note the learning opportunity.
• How should I choose between Who's First? and Me First! Buzzer Systems
  Who's First? is best for:

  • 6 or fewer teams.
  • Energy and excitement created by light tower
  • Random selection mode (toggle to choose one of the six team colors at random).

  
  
  Me First! is best for:

  • Downsize or Upsize for larger or smaller groups (operate 2-30 buzzers from a single facilitator pad).
  • One buzzer for each player.
  • Ability to block out previous responders.
  • Keep track of the buzzer that got the most right (or wrong) answers.
  • Integrate with select game show software programs.
• What's the best way to conduct a Jeopardy-like game?
  It's a little confusing to Jeopardy-style games because the game board shows "answers." Players are challenged to respond with the "question" that would yield that answer. For example:
  Suppose the category is IMPORTANT DATES.
  The game board shows (ANSWER): February 11, 1731
  The correct response (QUESTION): What is George Washington's Birthday
  
  These are the basic steps for playing a categories game show in the style of the popular Jeopardy® game shown on TV:

  • Choose a team to start. It's best to choose a team randomly.
  • Ask that team to select a category and point value.
  • Read the “answer” shown on the game board
  • Have players “buzz-in” when they know the correct response. [NOTE: Using a buzzer system like Who’s First? or Me First! makes this easier on the facilitator and less frustrating for the players].
  • Ask the first to respond to share their response
  • If they responded correctly, add points to the players point tally; If they replied incorrectly, deduct the points accordingly.
  • If the answer was incorrect, you might want to give the second-to=ring-in an opportunity to respond. Reward points accordingly.
  • Whoever answers correctly can choose the category and point value for the next round of play.
  • Continue until all questions are answered or time runs out.

  For more ideas on playing a traditional Jeopardy®-style game, click here: Jeopardy-like Games Facilitation Tips
  
  In learning settings, you might want to alter they organization and set-up of the game to involve more players. To do this, you might:

  1. Create teams and have one buzzer at each table or give each player their own buzzer (but still score the game as teams).
  2. Play a feud-style game where just two teams face off against each other. For each question, have a different team member buzz in.
  3. Don't score the game at all, during the first round. Just get a sense of what people know and make it fun to learn new material.

  For more tips on staging dynamic game shows using the Me First Buzzer System, explore this article: Me First! Inside and Out