Create Quizzes from YouTube Videos Automatically with Quizizz
It just got a whole lot easier to check student comprehension of video content. But does this feature actually support student learning?
*Note: I have no affiliation with Quizizz.
Education technology has been quiet for a while, it feels like. But something pretty exciting has appeared in the online quiz game space.
Online quiz platforms have come a long way
First, let’s zoom out and give this category of education apps some context.
The iconic Kahoot first appeared in 2013. Can you believe that?
Since then, it feels like it’s ruled the review quiz space, by and large.
Everyone knows Kahoot.
But other apps and companies have also appeared over the years, and each one boasts interesting features that the others do not. Even as Kahoot slowly evolves forward and adds its own features, teachers can now choose from Blooket, Gimkit, Quizizz, Quizlet, and more.
I can’t profess to be a high-level expert on the ins and outs of every platform. A side-by-side comparison of each one (including differences between free and premium plans) would be fun.
Perhaps edtech author, speaker, and podcaster Jake Miller could tackle that little project. Jake?
New from Quizizz: AI-created quizzes from selected YouTube videos
In the meantime, I can tell you this.
Quizizz is putting artificial intelligence to work for teachers.
It now allows teachers to create review quizzes automatically from any YouTube video (provided it has captions, including auto-captions, which most videos do).
Wow.
But Quizizz isn’t done.
It can also apply the same quiz-making skills to any .PDF, .Doc, or .PPT file.
Want to paste in a big body of text?
No problem. It can do that, too.
For FREE. As of the time of writing, you could perform this magic from a Basic account.
Time to test this YouTube-video-to-automatic-quiz feature out
I was skeptical at first. There’s no way this can work quickly and well, I thought.
Turns out it can.
I tested Quizizz on two YouTube videos. The first video was from fifth grade Social Studies, related to the government structures. The second was from sixth grade Science, related to Isaac Newton’s three laws of motion.
Both were short videos (under three minutes), so I knew the Quizizz AI wasn’t getting a huge amount of text from which to formulate questions.
It didn’t struggle at all. Ten decent multiple choice questions and answers for each video.
But does this feature actually support student learning?
Hold on, Cavey. Let’s make sure we’re not just rushing after the latest shiny object.
All-important is this question: does this app or feature support student learning? If so, how?
I think it does, although not in profoundly significant ways. Here’s what I mean.
Let’s take the second video that I tested in Quizizz — Newton’s Laws of Motion (Motion, Force, Acceleration).
I might show that video in connection with a learning target (derived from our sixth grade Science curriculum) that looked like this:
🎯 I can define and identify Newton’s three laws of motion.
Quizizz had no problem spitting out 10 decent multiple choice questions based on this short video (2:37). Bravo!
But let’s talk about depth of knowledge for a second. Even if a student scored a 10/10 on my little quiz (and note that I don’t record any numbers in my gradebook whatsoever), would I consider that evidence of full proficiency?
I’m not so sure that I would.
I would want more evidence. Better quality evidence. Other kinds of representations of this learning that require a little more from the learner and demonstrate greater depth of knowledge.
The same goes for all of these review platforms. We don’t take student results from Blooket or Kahoot and throw them in our gradebook. Right?
Hmmm.
Three nice wins from this feature
Here’s where I think these AI-powered features really add to the teaching and learning experience.
1. They will give teachers another source of formative assessment.
Wondering if your students are grasping the basics of Newton’s three laws? Your quiz results will give you a decent signal.
Will student scores give you a rock-solid picture of the depth of their understanding? As I wrote above, no. Will they help? Yes, particularly on a macro (whole-class) level.
2. They will increase student engagement.
It’s my anecdotal observation of middle schoolers that when multiple choice quizzes come out, most students come to play.
They’re engaged. They’re focused. They’re aiming to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.
And because of that fact, I know I’ll also get higher engagement when I show the video itself. Simply by saying with a smile “And I’ve got a 10-question quiz to follow, so pay close attention!” I know students will be more engaged.
Am I leveraging performance anxiety to increase engagement? I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t even record numbers in my gradebooks. None at all.
And it should go without saying that I’m not going to embarrass or humiliate a student for a poor showing.
All I’m trying to do here is press a little button that says I care about your comprehension of this material, and because I care, I’d like to see some evidence.
That knowledge alone is enough to activate more attention and interest in most students.
3. They will save teachers time.
In 2023, teacher sustainability is everything. Seriously.
As we ask more from teachers than ever before, we have to have to have to find ways to save teachers time and energy.
This feature is one way to do it. A year ago, it probably took your average teacher 20–30 minutes to make a review quiz on one of these platforms.
No more. Powered by some awesome AI, Quizizz will do it for teachers in a matter of seconds. That’s a welcome savings.
Final thoughts on Quizizz AI
I’m excited about this step forward for review games, and I’m 95% sure it’s not just the nerdy technophile side of me speaking.
These quizzes will save teachers time, increase student engagement, and give teachers another source of formative assessment that will guide their next instructional decisions.
And it’s FREE. Did I mention that?
If you’re new to Quizizz but want to give it a try, check my latest edtech tutorial.