Utilizing Kahoot! in Business Communication
Journey to Improve Formative Assessment, Enhance Student Engagement, and Increase Student Learning Outcomes
Keywords:
Formative Assessment, Gamification, Theory of Interaction, Kahoot!Abstract
This study's primary purpose was to explore the use of Kahoot!, a digital formative assessment application (APP), to integrate technology into an undergraduate Business Communication course. The goal was to enhance student motivation, engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking. Grounded in Holmberg’s Theory of Interaction, this quantitative case study involved 701 students across four course sections. After six weeks of using Kahoot!, pre- and post-survey results indicated increased student motivation to read ahead, active participation in discussions, collaboration, and competition. Students also demonstrated improved performance on summative assessments and showed growth in critical thinking, problem-solving, and divergent thinking skills. The study concludes with implications for teaching, emphasizing the benefits of using gamification tools to foster an interactive and engaging learning environment.
Downloads
References
Akkaraju, S., Atamturktur, S., Broughton, L., & Frazer, T. (2019). Ensuring student success: Using formative assessment as the key to communication and compassion among faculty, students, and staff. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2019(186), 71–79. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.20358
Alsawaier, R. (2018). The effect of gamification on motivation and engagement. International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, 35(1), 56–79. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009
Alzina, A. (2016). Using formative assessments to improve student learning outcomes: A study of the different types of formative assessments teachers use to drive instruction and their effects on student learning (Publication No. 10014579) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Louisiana at Lafayette]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Longman.
Aparicio, A. F., Vela, F. L. G., Sánchez, J. L. G., & Montes, J. L. I. (2012, October). Analysis and application of gamification. In Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Interacción Persona-Ordenador (pp. 1–2). https://doi.org/10.1145/2379636.237965
Atherton, P. (2020). More than just a quiz—how Kahoot! can help trainee teachers understand the learning process. Teacher Education Advancement Network Journal, 10(2), 29–39. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1268509.pdf
Axelson, R. D., & Flick, A. (2010). Defining student engagement. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 43(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00091383.2011.533096
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2004). The formative purpose: Assessment must first promote learning. Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, 103(2), 20–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7984.2004.tb00047.x
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2009). Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 5–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-008-9068-5
Bond, M., Buntins, K., Bedenlier, S., Zawacki-Richter, O., & Kerres, M. (2020). Mapping research in student engagement and educational technology in higher education: A systematic evidence map. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(2), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0176-8
Brady, S. C., & Andersen, E. C. (2021). An escape-room-inspired game for genetics review. Journal of Biological Education, 55(4), 406–417. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2019.1703784
Buckley, P., & Doyle, E. (2014). Gamification and student motivation. Interactive Learning Environments, 24(6), 1162–1175. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.964263
Chicioreanu, T. D., & Amza, C. G. (2018). Adapting your teaching to accommodate the Net Generation/Z-Generation of learners. eLearning & Software for Education, 3, 190–197. https://doi.org/10.12753/2066-026X-18-168
Costley, K. C. (2014). The positive effects of technology on teaching and student learning. ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED554557.pdf
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer Science & Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
Dellos, R. (2015). Kahoot! A digital game resource for learning. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 12(4), 49–52.
Dervan, P. (2014). Increasing in-class student engagement using Socrative (an online student response system). AISHE-J: The All Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.62707/aishej.v6i3.180
Dicheva, D., Dichev, C., Agre, G., & Angelova, G. (2015). Gamification in education: A systematic mapping study. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 75–88.
eNotes.com. (2018). Formative and summative assessments research starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/education/formative-and-summative-assessments
Finn, J. D., & Zimmer, K. S. (2012). Student engagement: What is it? Why does it matter? In S. L. Christenson, A. L. Reschly, & C. Wylie (Eds.), Handbook of research on student engagement (pp. 97–131). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_5
Fu, Y. (2016). Theory of interaction. Theoretical Computer Science, 611, 1–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcs.2015.07.043
Fuchs, K. (2022). Bringing Kahoot! into the classroom: The perceived usefulness and perceived engagement of gamified learning in higher education. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 12(7), 616–622. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2022.12.7.1661
Goldman, Z. W., & Martin, M. M. (2016). Millennial students in the college classroom: Adjusting to academic entitlement. Communication Education, 65(3), 365–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2016.1177844
Golubeva, D. (2021, February 11). How to use Kahoot! for formative assessment and insights-driven instruction. Kahoot! Blog. https://kahoot.com/blog/2021/02/11/formative-assessment-kahoot/
Graue, E., Rauscher, E., & Sherfinski, M. (2009). The synergy of class size reduction and classroom quality. The Elementary School Journal, 110(2), 178–201. https://doi.org/10.1086/605772
Groccia, J. E. (2018). What is student engagement? New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2018(154), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20287
Harfitt, G. J. (2012). How class size reduction mediates secondary students’ learning: Hearing the pupil voice. Asia Pacific Education Review, 13(2), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-011-9193-6
Harlick, A., & Halleran, M. (2015). There is no app for that—Adjusting university education to engage and motivate Generation Z. New Perspectives in Science Education, 4, 76–79.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.
Hattie, J. (2016). Know thy impact of formative assessment. Readings from Educational Leadership (EL Essentials), 36–41.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Heritage, M. (2007). Formative assessment: What do teachers need to know and do? Phi Delta Kappan, 89(2), 140–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/003172170708900210
Higgin, T. (2016). The best formative assessment tools, tips, and lessons: Great formative assessment apps and how to use them effectively. Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/blog/the-best-formative-assessment-tools-tips-and-lessons
Ismail, S. A. A., Rahul, D. R., Patra, I., & Rezvani, E. (2022). Formative vs. summative assessment: Impacts on academic motivation, attitude toward learning, test anxiety, and self-regulation skill. Language Testing in Asia, 12(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40468-022-00191-4
Ismail, M. A. A., & Mohammad, J. A. M. (2017). Kahoot!: A promising tool for formative assessment in medical education. Education in Medicine Journal, 9(2), 19–26. https://doi.org/10.21315/eimj2017.9.2.2
Jepsen, C., & Rivkin, S. (2009). Class size reduction and student achievement: The potential tradeoff between teacher quality and class size. The Journal of Human Resources, 44(1), 223–250. https://doi.org/10.1353/jhr.2009.0008
Johns, K. (2015). Engaging and assessing students with technology: A review of Kahoot! Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 81(4), 89–91.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (2009). An educational psychology success story: Social interdependence theory and cooperative learning. Educational Researcher, 38(5), 365–379. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X09339057
Kahoot!.com. (2022). What is Kahoot!? https://kahoot.com/what-is-kahoot/
Kim, S., Song, K., Lockee, B., & Burton, J. (2018). What is gamification in learning and education? Gamification in Learning and Education (pp. 25–38). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47318-5_2
Kowalski, F. V., Kowalski, S. E., Colling, T., Cuba, J., Gardner, T., Greivel, G., & Ruskell, T. G. (2015). Using InkSurvey with pen-enabled mobile devices for real-time formative assessment II: Indications of effectiveness in diverse educational environments. The Impact of Pen and Touch Technology on Education (pp. 307–314). Springer.
Kuo, E., Hull, M. M., Elby, A., & Gupta, A. (2019). Mathematical sensemaking as seeking coherence between calculations and concepts. Instruction and assessments for introductory physics arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1903.05596
Langreo, L. (2023, August 3). 4 things educators need to know about Kahoot! Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/technology/4-things-educators-need-to-know-about-kahoot/2023/08
Li, F., & Wang, L. (2024). A study on textbook use and its effects on students’ academic performance. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-023-00094-1
Licorish, S. A., George, J. L., Owen, H. E., & Daniel, B. (2017, December). "Go Kahoot!" enriching classroom engagement, motivation, and learning experience with games. Proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Computers in Education (pp. 755–764). Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education.
Lipp, G. (2015, July 15). Kahoot! as formative assessment. Duke Learning Innovation. https://learninginnovation.duke.edu/blog/2015/07/kahoot-as-formative-assessment/
Lukosch, S., & Schümmer, T. (2006). Making exam preparation an enjoyable experience. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 3(4), 269–283. https://doi.org/10.1108/17415650680000067
Macfarlane, B., & Tomlinson, M. (2017). Critical and alternative perspectives on student engagement. Higher Education Policy, 30(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41307-016-0022-7
Malik, A., Woodrow, J., & Piech, C. (2024, March). Learners teaching novices: An uplifting alternative assessment. Proceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (Vol. 1, pp. 785–791). https://doi.org/10.1145/3626252.3630948
Maloni, M., Hiatt, M. S., & Campbell, S. (2019). Understanding the work values of Gen Z business students. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(3), 100320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100320
Mao, Z., & Lee, I. (2023). Student engagement with written feedback: Critical issues and way forward. RELC Journal: A Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 54(1), 123–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882221080461
Marco-Fondevila, M., Rueda-Tomás, M., & Latorre-Martínez, M. P. (2022). Active participation and interaction, key performance factors of face-to-face learning. Education Sciences, 12(7), 429. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12070429
McMillan, J. H., & Hearn, J. (2008). Student self-assessment: The key to stronger student motivation and higher achievement. Educational Horizons, 87(1), 40–49.
Narciss, S., & Zumbach, J. (2023). Formative assessment and feedback strategies. In J. Zumbach, D. A. Bernstein, S. Narciss, & G. Marsico (Eds.). International handbook of psychology learning and teaching. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28745-0_63
National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). Digest of Education Statistics, Table 303.70. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_303.70.asp
Navarro-Espinosa, J. A., Vaquero-Abellán, M., Perea-Moreno, A. J., Pedrós-Pérez, G., Martínez-Jiménez, M. P., & Aparicio-Martínez, P. (2022). Gamification as a promoting tool of motivation for creating sustainable higher education institutions. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5), 2599. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052599
Nicol, D. J., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070600572090
Panorkou, N., & Kobrin, J. (2017). Enhancing teachers' formative assessment practices through learning trajectory-based professional development. Mathematics Teacher Educator, 5(2), 178–201. https://doi.org/10.5951/mathteaceduc.5.2.0178
Park, S., & Lee, H. (2024). The relationship between formative assessment practices and teacher job satisfaction: A quantitative study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 116(2), 250–265. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000634
Ryan, R. M. (1982). Control and information in the intrapersonal sphere: An extension of cognitive evaluation theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43(3), 450–461. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.43.3.450
Sam, N. (2023). Social interaction. Psychology Dictionary. https://psychologydictionary.org/social-interaction/
Sankoff, P. (2013). Taking the instruction of law outside the lecture hall: How the flipped classroom can make learning more productive and enjoyable (for professors and students). Alberta Law Review, 51(4), 891–906.
Schultz, K., Klein, M., Sucharew, H., McDonald, J., DeBlasio, D., Cooperstein, E., & Real, F. (2022). The impact of a gamified curriculum using Kahoot! on musculoskeletal knowledge and skill acquisition among pediatric residents. Academic Pediatrics, 22(8), 1335–1341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2022.03.016
Schwieger, D., & Ladwig, C. (2018). Reaching and retaining the next generation: Adapting to the expectations of Gen Z in the classroom. Information Systems Education Journal, 16(3), 45–54.
Shute, V. J. (2008). Focus on formative feedback. Review of Educational Research, 78(1), 153–189. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654307313795
Subhash, S., & Cudney, E. A. (2018). Gamified learning in higher education: A systematic review of the literature. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 192–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.028
Sun, J. C. Y., & Hsieh, P. H. (2018). Application of a gamified interactive response system to enhance the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, student engagement, and attention of English learners. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 21(3), 104–116.
Tharp, R. G., & Gallimore, R. (1988). Rousing minds to life: Teaching, learning, and schooling in social context. Cambridge University Press.
Trowler, V. (2010). Student engagement literature review. The Higher Education Academy, 11, 1-15. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2686760
Urh, M., Vukovic, G., & Jereb, E. (2015). The model for the introduction of gamification into e-learning in higher education. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 197, 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.154
Vaughan, M. (2014). Flipping the learning: An investigation into the use of the flipped classroom model in an introductory teaching course. Education Research and Perspectives, 41, 25–41.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds. & Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Wang, A. I. (2015). The wear-out effect of a game-based student response system. Computers & Education, 82, 217–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.11.004
Wirani, Y., Nabarian, T., & Romadhon, M. S. (2022). Evaluation of continued use of Kahoot! as a gamification-based learning platform from the perspective of Indonesian students. Procedia Computer Science, 197, 545–556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.12.172
Wright, C., & Sapkota, K. (2024). Developing core communication skills in an AI-dominated world: Staying ‘old school.’ Journal of Research in Business Education, 64(1).
Yeh, S. S. (2009). Class size reduction or rapid formative assessment? A comparison of cost-effectiveness. Educational Research Review, 4(1), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2008.09.001
Yeh, S. S. (2010a). The cost-effectiveness of 22 approaches for raising student achievement. Journal of Education Finance, 36(1), 38–75. https://doi.org/10.1353/jef.0.0025
Yeh, S. S. (2010b). The cost-effectiveness of comprehensive school reform and rapid assessment. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 18(19). https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.v18n19.2010
Yin, Y., Shavelson, R. J., Ayala, C. C., Ruiz-Primo, M. A., Brandon, P. R., Furtak, E. M., Tomita, M. K., & Young, B. B. (2008). On the impact of formative assessment on student motivation, achievement, and conceptual change. Applied Measurement in Education, 21(4), 335–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/08957340802347845
Zahersharifian, Z. (2021). Investigating the impact of the formative assessment on students' educational achievement. International Journal of Education and Management Studies, 11(2), 61–65.
Zepke, N., & Leach, L. (2010). Improving student engagement: Ten proposals for action. Active Learning in Higher Education, 11(3), 167–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787410379680
