Remote learning presents a unique set of challenges. Students are physically distant, distractions at home are endless, and the energy of a live classroom is hard to replicate through a screen. Teachers often find themselves speaking into a void of black boxes, wondering if anyone is actually listening. This disconnect is where interactive tools become not just helpful, but essential.
Quizizz has emerged as a powerhouse in this digital landscape. It isn’t just a platform for checking answers; it is a dynamic engagement engine that can transform a passive Zoom call into an active learning experience. For educators navigating the complexities of online instruction, mastering this tool can mean the difference between a disengaged class and one that is motivated and participating.
This article explores five actionable strategies to help you get the most out of Quizizz during remote instruction. We will look beyond the basic “host a game” features and dive into tactics that drive accountability, support self-paced learning, and provide the data you need to intervene when students fall behind.
1. Leverage the “Assign Homework” Feature for Asynchronous Flexibility
One of the biggest hurdles in remote learning is the assumption that learning only happens when the camera is on. Synchronous (live) sessions are valuable, but they can be stressful due to unstable internet connections or shared devices at home. Relying solely on live games can inadvertently exclude students who can’t join at a specific time.
The “Assign Homework” feature in Quizizz is a game-changer for asynchronous learning. Instead of hosting a live game where everyone answers at once, you set a deadline. Students can complete the quiz at their own pace, at a time that works best for their household schedule.
Why this matters for remote learning
Flexibility reduces anxiety. When a student knows they have until Friday evening to complete an assessment, they can choose a quiet time to focus rather than rushing through it during a noisy lunch hour. It also promotes mastery. You can configure homework assignments to allow multiple attempts. This shifts the focus from “getting a grade” to “learning the material.”
Practical Scenario:
Imagine you just taught a complex math lesson on quadratic equations. Instead of ending the Zoom call with a high-pressure live quiz, assign a Quizizz as homework with a deadline of 48 hours. In the settings, toggle “Unlimited Attempts” to ON. Tell your students: “Your goal is to get 100%. You can retake this quiz as many times as you need to achieve that.” This simple switch turns an assessment into a study tool. Students will review their mistakes after the first attempt and try again, reinforcing the concepts independently without you needing to reteach the lesson individually.
2. Utilize the “Instructor-Paced” Mode for Live Instruction
While asynchronous work is vital, you still need moments of collective focus. The traditional “Classic” mode in Quizizz allows students to race through questions at their own speed. This is fun, but it can be chaotic if you are trying to teach a specific concept. Fast readers finish in two minutes, while others are still on question three. The connection is lost.
Enter “Instructor-Paced” mode. In this setting, you control the flow. Everyone sees the same question at the same time, and nobody moves to the next question until you advance the slide.
Controlling the narrative
This mode allows you to pause after every single question. You can look at the live results immediately. Did 80% of the class get question #4 wrong? Stop right there. Don’t move on. Use that moment to reteach the misconception immediately.
Practical Scenario:
You are reviewing for a history exam. You launch an Instructor-Paced game. Question 1 asks about the causes of WWI. Results come in, and the class is split between two answers. Instead of letting them rush to the next question, you pull up the “View Chart” feature. You ask a student to unmute and explain why they chose answer A, and another to explain answer B. This turns a simple quiz into a rich, seminar-style discussion. You guide them to the correct answer before moving forward, ensuring that no student is left behind with a misunderstanding.
3. Integrate “Lessons” to Combine Slides and Questions
Many teachers view Quizizz strictly as a testing tool, but the “Lessons” feature transforms it into a full instructional delivery system. In a remote setting, app-switching is a killer of attention spans. If you ask students to look at a Google Slide, then open a separate tab for a Kahoot, then go back to Zoom, you lose students in the transition.
Quizizz Lessons allow you to import your slides (from PowerPoint or Google Slides) directly into the platform and intersperse them with interactive questions.
Seamless engagement
This creates a single, unified experience. Students join one link. They see your slide explaining a concept, and the very next screen is a poll or a multiple-choice question checking for understanding. They never have to leave the tab.
Practical Scenario:
You are teaching a science unit on the water cycle. You upload five slides explaining evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. After the “Evaporation” slide, you insert a Poll question: “Have you ever seen steam rising from a pot? Yes/No.” After the “Precipitation” slide, you insert a Draw question asking them to sketch rain falling on a mountain.
This keeps students’ hands on the keyboard and their minds active. You can see real-time participation data, so you know exactly who is following along with the slides and who has drifted away. It forces active consumption of the lecture material rather than passive watching.
4. Harness Detailed Reports for Data-Driven Intervention
In a physical classroom, you can walk around and see who is struggling. You can look over a shoulder and see a student stuck on a problem. In remote learning, you are often blind to these struggle signals until you grade a test days later.
Quizizz offers incredibly robust reporting features that are often underutilized. The “Reports” tab stores data for every game and assignment. You can see accuracy by question (class level) and accuracy by student (individual level).
Identifying the “Invisible” struggling students
The most powerful metric here is often “Time Taken.” A student might get the right answer, but if they took 60 seconds on a question that everyone else answered in 10, they might be struggling. Conversely, if a student answers incorrectly in 2 seconds, they are likely guessing and disengaged.
Practical Scenario:
It’s Friday afternoon. You pull up the report from the week’s grammar quizzes. You sort the report by “accuracy.” You notice that three students—who are usually quiet in Zoom calls—have scored below 50% on the last three assignments.
Instead of waiting for the report card, you send a private email to those three students or their parents immediately: “Hi, I noticed you struggled with the past tense verbs on the Quizizz. Let’s hop on a 5-minute breakout room call on Monday to review.” This proactive use of data prevents learning gaps from widening into canyons over the course of a remote semester.
5. Use “Redemption Questions” and “Power-ups” to Boost Motivation
Remote learning can feel dry and isolating. Motivation often dips because the social reward of the classroom is missing. Gamification is not just about fun; it’s about psychology. Quizizz includes features like “Power-ups” (e.g., immunity from one wrong answer, 2x points for a streak) and “Redemption Questions” (getting a second chance at a wrong answer at the end of the game).
Some teachers turn these off to make the quiz “serious.” In a remote environment, this is often a mistake. These features keep students in the game even when they make an error.
Maintaining resilience
If a student gets the first three questions wrong in a standard test, they often give up. They mentally check out. With Power-ups and Redemption Questions, the game mechanics encourage resilience. They know they can bounce back. This keeps their energy high and their focus sharp throughout the session.
Practical Scenario:
You are running a vocabulary review. You tell the students: “I’ve turned on Power-ups today. Strategy matters! Save your ‘Double Points’ for the words you are most confident about.”
Suddenly, the chat lights up. Students are discussing strategy. “Oh no, I used my immunity too early!” The vibe shifts from a stressful test to a communal challenge. Even students who usually get discouraged are paying attention to the very end because they hope to get a Redemption Question to fix their earlier mistake. You have successfully tricked them into caring deeply about vocabulary definitions.
Conclusion
Remote learning does not have to be a barrier to engagement; it just requires a shift in tools and tactics. Quizizz offers far more than simple multiple-choice testing. By utilizing asynchronous homework options, controlling the pace of live instruction, integrating slides into interactive lessons, mining data for interventions, and embracing gamification, you can create a virtual classroom that is vibrant and effective.
The technology is there to bridge the gap between screens. The next step is to log in, experiment with these settings, and watch your students’ engagement levels rise. Don’t settle for silence in your next virtual class—bring the interaction back to learning.
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