Blooket Best Gaming Mode in 2024 for Teachers

After a full year of integrating Blooket into my teaching practice, I’ve had the chance to see firsthand how each game mode impacts both learning and engagement. It’s strength lies in it’s ability to take traditional question-and-answer based activities and elevate them into interactive, competitive, and fun experiences. But in terms of pedagogy, not all the gaming modes hit the same mark. Here's my personal breakdown of each mode, based on what I've observed in the classroom.

1. Tower of Doom

   • Student-Centered: Yes, to an extent. This mode fosters individual progress and lets students move at their own pace. They’re actively involved in decision-making, which allows for personalized learning experiences.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Moderate. While the game emphasizes correct answers to progress, the strategic element of fighting monsters adds an extra layer of engagement. Students need to think about power-ups and attacks, which promotes critical thinking, but the depth of conceptual understanding may vary depending on the subject. This game is excellent for reviewing vocabulary or facts.

   • Teacher Reflection: It’s a great tool for keeping students engaged, but the learning outcomes could be more aligned with content mastery. This mode encourages students to think critically about the properties of different materials and how they can be used effectively. It also fosters teamwork and communication skills. However, I found that it could be more challenging for students to grasp the underlying concepts, as the focus is more on the construction process.

     
     

2. Gold Quest

   • Student-Centered: Yes, but uneven. The students love the freedom to answer quickly and steal gold, but I’ve noticed that some students feel disheartened by the constant loss of points. It can foster competitiveness in some and disengagement in others.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Low to Moderate. This game is perfect for practicing problem-solving skills. The stealing element of this game can however become a distraction from the actual learning. Some students tend to focus on the stealing and trading more than the content itself.

   • Teacher Reflection: This is a mode that works well for fun, light review but may not be the best for fostering deeper learning or critical thinking. It’s a fun break from traditional methods, but I often find myself worrying about whether the focus on competition is undermining cooperative learning goals. I reflect on whether it's encouraging healthy rivalry or causing stress in the classroom.

     
     

3. Battle Royale

   • Student-Centered: Yes. Students are fully engaged as they compete head-to-head, but the competitive aspect is much more intense in this mode, which can either empower or discourage students. This high-stakes game is a great way to create excitement and competition. Some students love the thrill of elimination and the chance to be the last one standing.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Moderate. The rapid-fire format pushes students to recall facts quickly, which strengthens memory but doesn't allow much room for deeper reflection or critical thought.

   • Teacher Reflection: Great for reinforcing quick recall, but less useful for cultivating deep, reflective learning. On one hand, it promotes student-centered learning by allowing students to choose their own strategies and work together to defeat opponents. On the other hand, it can be quite competitive, which may discourage some students from participating. However, I have found that it can be a valuable tool for teaching conflict resolution and teamwork.

     
     

4. Café

   • Student-Centered: Yes. Students love the multitasking aspect, serving customers while answering questions. It creates a dynamic where they feel in control of their own progress.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Moderate. The time management aspect promotes higher-order thinking, as students balance their answers with running their café. It’s fun, but students may focus more on the café part than fully engaging with the academic content. This game is certainly a fun way to practice vocabulary or grammar in a more relaxed setting. Students can chat with each other and earn points by answering questions correctly.

   • Teacher Reflection: A mode that encourages engagement and strategic thinking, but doesn’t always lend itself to deep learning. This mode pushes me to think about how multi-tasking environments can train students for real-world skills, but it sometimes blurs the line between distraction and learning. This mode encourages students to think critically about business concepts and apply their knowledge in a real-world context.

     
     

5. Factory

   • Student-Centered: Yes. Factory mode feels empowering to students as they build their own factories and see direct rewards from their answers. It’s great for independent work and makes students feel like they’re actively producing something.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: High. This mode blends content knowledge with strategic resource management. Students need to think critically about how to allocate points and upgrade their factories, which fosters a deeper level of thinking beyond simple recall. Its really a good option for practicing sequencing or order of operations, the students must complete tasks in the correct order to earn points.

   • Teacher Reflection: One of the most conceptually rich modes, it combines strategy with learning and promotes deep thinking. Factory mode has made me reflect on the long-term rewards structure in learning. It helps me focus on how gamified learning can extend beyond just answering questions—it teaches students about patience, strategy and process.

     
     

6. Crypto Hack

   • Student-Centered: Yes, but stressful for some. The thrill of hacking others can cause a lot of excitement but also anxiety for those who fear losing their progress.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Moderate. The risk/reward element helps students think strategically, but much like Gold Quest, the game mechanics sometimes overshadow the content itself. Critical thinking is more about the game strategy than the subject matter.

   • Teacher Reflection: Fun and strategic, it’s all about risk management rather than deep learning. Quite a unique and engaging way to promote critical thinking and conceptual understanding. However, it can also be frustrating for students who are not familiar with cryptography, and may require additional support, be cautious about the potential stress it introduces to some students.

     
     

7. Fishing Frenzy

   • Student-Centered: Yes. The fishing element allows students to feel rewarded for correct answers, keeping them motivated and engaged.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Low to Moderate. This mode is somewhat mindless and repetitive and a bit superficial in terms of learning. Students are more focused on catching fish than thinking critically about the content.

   • Teacher Reflection: A mode that excels at motivating students but lacks depth in conceptual understanding. It reminds me to use reward systems wisely. This mode is a red flag in my opinion as it can undermine the value of learning and create a culture of complacency. While it’s great for engagement, I feel the reward is overshadowing the learning.

     
     

8. Racing

   • Student-Centered: Yes. Students love competing in races, which gives them agency and motivation to perform well.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: Low to Moderate. The focus on speed can detract from thoughtful reflection or deep understanding. It’s all about who can answer the fastest, which doesn’t always translate to true comprehension. The sense of urgency and need for quick reflexes make this mode popular with students who enjoy fast-paced learning environments.

   • Teacher Reflection: Best for drilling facts quickly, but not ideal for deeper conceptual learning. It’s a bit of a mixed bag to be honest, on one hand, it promotes student-centred learning by allowing students to choose their own strategies and work together to win races. On the other hand, it can be quite competitive. It certainly encourages students to think on their feet and respond quickly to questions and can be a valuable tool for teaching sportsmanship and teamwork.

     
     

9. Classic

   • Student-Centered: Moderate. Classic mode is straightforward, nostaligic and engages students in a traditional, multiple-choice format with no flashy user interfaces or competition. It’s student-centered in that students control their pace, but there’s less excitement compared to other modes.

   • Conceptual Understanding & Critical Thinking: High. Without distractions, students focus entirely on answering questions and reinforcing their understanding. This is where I’ve seen the most conceptual growth, as students aren’t sidetracked by game mechanics.

   • Teacher Reflection: The mode most aligned with a traditional assessment experience, but it certainly lacks the engagement factor that some of the other modes have. Classic mode has been a reminder that sometimes the simplest tools are effective. However you need to balance the limitations of the multiple-choice type format with other modes which allow students to showcase their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Designing engaging puzzles to keep the students engaged keep me on my toes.

     
     

10. Overall

    • Student-Centered Learning: Across multiple game modes, Blooket truly excels in creating a student-centered environment. Many modes like Factory and Café allow students to make independent decisions, giving them agency over their learning. This autonomy fosters engagement and ownership, aligning well with constructivist pedagogical principles where students actively participate in their learning process.

    • Critical Thinking and Conceptual Understanding: Several modes, like Gold Quest and Crypto Hack, push students to apply their knowledge in creative ways. The puzzle-like challenges and strategic decisions required in these modes go beyond routine memorization, encouraging students to think critically and problem-solve. These modes require both knowledge application and creative thinking, which is crucial for deeper learning.

    • Teacher Reflection and Pedagogical Growth: Blooket’s variety has significantly deepened my own pedagogical thinking. By tailoring game content to match different learning objectives, I’ve become more aware of how I present material and design activities that cater to different learning styles. Modes like Factory and Café especially encourage me to rethink how I can incorporate real-world problem-solving into the curriculum, providing students with more meaningful, contextualized learning experiences.

    • Mixed Impact of Competition: One of the more nuanced insights from using Blooket is that while competition can drive engagement, it can also be overwhelming for certain students. This is particularly true in modes like Battle Royale and Racing, where the focus on winning can overshadow learning for some students. These insights align with findings that overly competitive environments might hinder collaborative learning, a key concern when fostering inclusive, student-centred classrooms.

    • Balanced Learning and Engagement: While some game modes excel at boosting engagement, they may not always lead to deep learning. For example, modes like Fishing Frenzy and Racing are highly engaging but can sometimes feel superficial in terms of content delivery. They work best when used sparingly or combined with more reflective activities to ensure students are not just having fun but also building solid understanding.

Conclusion

There’s no one size that fits all here! Students have diverse personalities and learning styles, which means their strengths and weaknesses are revealed differently depending on the game mode. The challenge for me as a teacher is to create content that allows each student to practice in areas where they need improvement. Like most people, students generally gravitate toward the modes they excel in and show less interest in the others. This might be why Blooket is so popular - its varying game modes, allow students to learn and develop a variety of skills that translate to real-life situations, and we all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas.