Individual Assessment vs. Team Play

We've talked quite a bit about the strength and appeal of team competition in game shows. However, there are times when individual play may be more appropriate--even in a training setting.

Team Play:
• Allows contestants to be "safe"
• Enables trainees to learn from their peers
• Utilizes competition to add energy to the room
• Allows a trainer to get a general sense of group progress/review en masse, etc.

Individual Play:
• Allows a game show to become a less-stressful assessment tool
• Illuminates individual knowledge gaps
• Caters to those who may be opposed to team play

However, there's a third "blended" approach--team play with audience-response pads--that allows you to both group people on teams, and individually assess them. This mixed approach combines the competitive elements and the supportive environment of a team with the specific assessment element that appeals to the accountability of learning management systems.

1. Find a program that can accommodate the blended individual/team approach--like AllPlay or our upcoming release of Gameshow Pro (version 5)--with individual keypads and team gameplay.
2. Assign keypads to individuals. Usually this can be done beforehand, or you can do this when students are in-classroom.
3. You can either assign students to teams, let them assign themselves, or split the room once students are seated. We recommend seating teams apart from each other so correct answers don't get "passed around". There's still a team cohesion even though team members may not be close in proximity.

Each individual's answer will go to their team's score--the final tally being the total percentage of correct answers per team. On the back end, you can also track individual responses by keypad, but during gameplay, responses can remain anonymous to give the experience of a safe, fun learning environment.