Random Student Picker

How to use the random student picker

1. Build your roster in the Roster tab — paste one name per line (or comma-separated) and hit "Add to roster". Make a class per period if you teach several.
2. Hit Pick when you need a volunteer, a presenter, or someone to answer. The name cycles dramatically, then lands.
3. Leave fair mode on so every student gets called on before anyone repeats — the picker starts a fresh round automatically and tells you when it does.
4. Mark absences with one tap so absent students are excluded from picks and groups.
5. Split into groups in the Groups tab — by size ("groups of 4") or by count ("5 groups"), reshuffled every time.

Why fair mode matters

Pure random picking feels unfair fast: with 30 students, random chance alone means some students get picked three times before others get picked once. Fair mode fixes the perception and the math — it's a shuffled deck, not a dice roll. Every student knows their turn is coming, which does more for participation than any amount of cold-calling courage.

How does the random student picker work?

Add your class roster, then hit Pick. The picker chooses at random from students marked present. With fair mode on (the default), it tracks who's been picked and won't repeat anyone until every student has had a turn.

What is fair mode?

Fair mode deals picks like cards from a shuffled deck instead of rolling dice: no student is picked twice until all students have been picked once. When the round completes, a fresh round starts automatically and the picker tells you.

Can I pick more than one student at a time?

Yes — set "Pick how many" to any number up to 50. In fair mode the picks still won't repeat within the round.

How do I make random groups?

Open the Groups tab, choose "groups of N" or "N groups", and hit Make groups. Names are shuffled, then dealt round-robin so groups stay balanced — hit the button again to reshuffle.

What happens to absent students?

Tap a student's Here/Absent toggle in the Roster tab. Absent students are excluded from picks and groups until you mark them present again.

Can I use it for multiple classes?

Yes — add a class per period or subject. Each class keeps its own roster, and switching classes resets the fair-round tally.

How do I add my class list?

Paste names into the box in the Roster tab — one per line, or comma-separated. Duplicates are skipped automatically, so pasting the same list twice is harmless.

Is the picker truly random?

Picks use your browser's built-in random number generator with a Fisher–Yates shuffle for groups — plenty random for classrooms, raffles, and giveaways. It's not cryptographic-grade randomness, but calling on students doesn't need that.

Can I use this for raffles or giveaways?

Absolutely — turn fair mode off for pure-chance draws, or leave it on to guarantee no duplicate winners until everyone has won once.

Is my class list sent anywhere?

No. Rosters are stored in your browser's local storage on your device. Nothing is uploaded, stored on a server, or shared.