Showdown
Showdown is a survey-style format. A question has several valid answers ranked by how commonly they’re given, and teams try to name the most popular ones. Points are weighted by rank.
What Makes It Work
Section titled “What Makes It Work”Showdown is the right format when there isn’t one correct answer — when the useful lesson is the range of answers and their relative weight.
“What do buyers say matters most when choosing a home?” has no single right response. Showdown makes the distribution the content.
It also generates more discussion than any other format, because teams deliberate before committing.
Setting Up
Section titled “Setting Up”Open the Showdown hub and click New Game. Title, class, then into the editor.
Questions and Answers
Section titled “Questions and Answers”Each question carries several answers, each with a point value reflecting how common it is. Higher points for more popular answers.
You’re not limited to real survey data. For teaching purposes, the weighting can reflect what you want emphasized — the most important answer gets the most points.
Importing a CSV
Section titled “Importing a CSV”Format: Question, Answer/Points pairs
Download the sample from the editor for the exact layout. Building in a spreadsheet is easier when each question has several weighted answers.
Import replaces existing content. Save afterward.
Showdown supports teams with tracked scores. Set them up in the editor. See Team Management.
Running a Session
Section titled “Running a Session”Open Run for your control screen, then Open display for the projector.
During play:
- Read the question
- A team offers an answer
- You reveal it on the display if it’s on the board, and award its points
- Play continues until the board is cleared or you move on
The control screen shows you every answer and its value. The display shows only what’s been revealed.
On the Display
Section titled “On the Display”Students see the question and a board of concealed answer slots that fill in as they’re found, with points. They respond verbally — no student devices.
Practical Notes
Section titled “Practical Notes”Let teams deliberate. The discussion before an answer is where the learning happens. Don’t rush it.
Reveal remaining answers at the end. The answers nobody guessed are often the most instructive.
Weight deliberately. If one answer matters most pedagogically, give it the highest value even if a real survey would rank it differently.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Team Management — team scoring
- The Dual-Screen Experience — control vs display