Random picker

Use it to hand out roles or viewpoints for a discussion, topics for short talks, or tasks to choose between. A drawn role makes students argue a side that is not their own, and nobody can say they were given the hard one on purpose.

The random picker in the presentation toolbar is a different thing: that one is your own tool. This item lets every student spin for themselves, and you see what each one got.

1. In a worksheet, use the + between two items and choose Random picker.

2. If it is not already open, click its pencil.

3. Under Items, type one entry per row. A new picker starts with three sample items; replace them with your own.

4. Click Add item for another row, and Remove item (the bin) to delete one. Empty rows are ignored.

5. Under Preview, click Pick random item to try the wheel. Spinning here saves nothing.

6. Click the tick when you are done.

Tell students what the wheel decides in the text before it, for example "Spin to find out whose view you take on the phone rules."

Students click Pick random item. The wheel spins, stops on one item and shows it below as the Picked item, with the time. The pick is saved at once: there is nothing to submit.

Each student spins once. To let them spin again, turn on The answer can be changed for the presentation.

Picks are not marked right or wrong. In the presentation, click Results on the picker to see which item each student got, grouped by item and also as a bar chart. That makes it easy to pair students with different viewpoints or to call on one of each.

• Every spin is independent and each item is equally likely, so the groups will not come out exactly even. If you need equal groups, assign them yourself.

• Short labels read best on the wheel.

• If you change the list after students have spun, their results keep the item they actually got.