Crossword Puzzles - A great way to enhance and rate a student's performance

Crossword puzzles - Why they students like them and teachers should like them as well

Crossword puzzles are actually pretty tough checking gadgets and people feel rather challenged by them then threatened, isn't it? Oh, if this would be only true for the everyday school tests - right?

Plus crossword puzzles prove one thing - "the more knowledge you are able to apply, the easier become the follow-up questions", because the filled in answers provide clues to the yet unsolved questions.

They are quite easy to check for correct solutions.

They can be easily marked.

They really make a teacher think of how to ask for a specific desired answer.

Plus: They can be easily produced by your students - if you use the right toys.

In this post, I will introduce three different tools that will produce crossword puzzles for you and your students. 2 are cost free and one is cheap for what it has to offer to your lessons.

For Windows users:

EclipseCrossword! http://www.eclipsecrossword.com

Pros: free, fast, will produce printable and html versions of your puzzles, can be linked in MOODLE, whole classes can work with it - it is free!
Cons: can't be implemented in MOODLE as a rated task (i.e. grading)

This is how it looks like as html version:

For iPad users:
Make My Own Puzzles https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/make-my-own-puzzles/id514227408?mt=8

Great easy to use tool, it will create crossword puzzles really fast for you.

Pros: low price of just 1.99 US $, easy to use in class with iPads, great tool for students to work with during your lesson

Cons: Cost, puzzles can be just emailed or printed, airprint printer required for direct printing, no online  or digital version of the puzzle can be produced.

For Windows and OS X:
The good old HOT POTATOS http://hotpot.uvic.ca

Pros: available as software for Windows and Java version for OS X, creates files that can be integrated in MOODLE and they can be used as a rated activity and imported into MOODLE quizzes, free - yes, those CWs created with HOTPOT can be used to rate and grade students automatically. Great for fast first round of marks in middle school, because it is free you can make students design CWs for you or their classes

Cons: The printout version of the puzzles needs a makeover with word, before you are able to give them to your students.

So go and try what you get if you use them! Here are my two cents:

• Use them to check the students understanding of a text. Check the keywords with them.
• Make students create crossword puzzles for their class members.
• Use them to rate students' performance - do it digitally in MOODLE - no marking required.
• Excellent for checking glossaries.

Waiting for your feedback by posts!

DR