How it works

What makes arsnova.eu different

Unlike mainstream tools such as Kahoot or Mentimeter, arsnova.eu centers on privacy and control over your content: no accounts required for you or your audience, quiz content stays local-first in the browser, the project is Open Source, and it runs on EU-based infrastructure (hosted in Germany)—transparent, not a walled garden.

Combine quizzes, Q&As, and Pulse Checks in a single session—no juggling separate tools. Features like Peer Instruction (two voting rounds with a discussion break in between), along with KaTeX and Markdown support, fit typical scenarios in higher education, professional development, and business—from a quick check-in to a shared success review.

Quick start

1. Create a quiz: Head over to "Your quiz library", create a new quiz, and set up your questions and settings.
2. Start a session: In your quiz library, choose “Start session”—a 6-character code is created. Share the code or QR with your group.
3. Run it live: Reveal questions one by one, collect votes, and show results in real time.

Host your session

You start a live session, share the code, and run the quiz, Q&A, and Pulse Check.

• Start session: From your quiz library, start a session and choose whether it opens with a quiz or Q&A. That creates a 6-character code.
• Lobby: You see who has joined; a QR code for joining is shown.
• Projector view: A large display of the question, answers, countdown, and results—perfect for presenting to the room.
• Controls: Use “Next question” to show the question. Optionally show only the text first (reading phase) before you release answers and start voting. End the round with “Show results”.
• Peer Instruction (double rounds): For quiz and Pulse Check items: vote first → start the “discussion phase” (“talk to someone next to you”) → “second vote”—before/after shows how the mood snapshot shifts after discussion.
• Settings: When you start, you set the style ("Business" or "Gamification") and options (leaderboard, sound, reading phase, team mode, nicknames, timer). Participants automatically use your theme.

Pulse Check

Quick mood and knowledge polls—e.g. before the break, to open a session, or for on-the-spot checks. Available in the host area of your live session or straight from the home page.

• Mood (😊😐😟): How are participants doing?
• Yes / No / Maybe (👍👎🤷): Quick pulse check.
• Yes / No (👍👎): Clear two-option poll with no middle ground.
• True / False / Don't know (✓ / × / ?): For quick assessments or knowledge checks.
• Lettered quick polls (A–D): Three or four preset choices for on-the-fly votes—no full quiz question required.

You start the round in the host area of your live session or directly via the Pulse Check card “Live in one click” on the home page. Participants vote with one tap, and you see the results live as a bar chart.

• Peer Instruction (double rounds): Round one: don't reveal results yet → start the “discussion phase” (“talk to someone next to you”) → “second vote.” The before/after view shows how the mood snapshot shifts after discussion.
• Stop: Freeze the poll – participants see “Poll is paused” and cannot vote until you choose “Resume”.
• Reset: Clear all votes and run the poll again.
• New round: Generate a new code and start a fresh round.
• Copy link: Copy the join link to the clipboard, e.g. to share via chat.

For your participants

In short: what you can share with people in your session:

• Join: Enter the 6-character code on arsnova.eu and tap “Let's go”—works for quiz, Q&A, and Pulse Check. No sign-up required.
• Nicknames: Depending on your settings, participants will use predefined names, their own names, or stay entirely anonymous.
• Voting: The question will appear on their device. They just select an answer and submit. If there's a time limit, a countdown will run.

Your quiz library

Here you create and prepare your quizzes.

• Editor: Sort questions using drag and drop, expand and collapse, check preview.
• Question types: Multiple choice, single choice, free text, survey, and rating scale. You can optionally set a timer and difficulty for each individual question.
• Import / Export: Import or export quizzes as JSON. With the AI prompt you can generate a quiz with your preferred AI and import it directly—your content and presentations are not sent to arsnova.eu; you use your own AI.
• Sync: Use the sync link to share your quiz library with colleagues or continue on other devices. Anyone with the link can open the library. Device details are only there to help you get your bearings.
• Demo quiz: A preinstalled quiz shows all question types with examples, including KaTeX formulas and Markdown. Open it from your quiz library in preview.

Business and gamification

Two styles for different situations—selectable on the home page and at session start.

• Business: Anonymous, no leaderboard—ideal for formative assessments, exam prep, and sensitive topics.
• Gamification: Leaderboard, sound effects, and energy—great for icebreakers, team competitions, and high-energy quizzes.

All options (leaderboard, sound, reading phase, team, bonus) can be turned on or off individually.

More features

• Bonus codes: Top finishers get a redeemable code (e.g. for bonus points). You see the code list; we don't store personal data.
• Team mode: Your participants play in teams with their own team leaderboard—e.g. for group competitions in seminars.
• Gamification: Sound effects, rewards for top finishers, and on-screen encouragement—when you use the gamification style.

Privacy and technology

arsnova.eu is free, open source, and built for schools, universities, and workplace training—with a strong focus on privacy (GDPR). Quiz content stays in your browser first. No sign-up for you or your participants. Installable as a PWA for a faster start on phones. UI in German, English, French, Spanish, and Italian.