1. 1st July 2019
Engaging Students in Class through Gamification: The Importance of having a Kahoot!
Dr Neil G. Shepherd
Aston Business School

2. Format Introduction to Kahoot!;
Context—The challenges of Gamification;
Theorized model of Kahoot!;
Preliminary findings;
Proposed research methodology

3. Kahoot! Free and simple to use game-based learning technology;
Allows users to create bespoke content in the form of web-based quizzes;
Rapidly accessible via students’ mobile devices
Kahoot!

4. Gamification—The Challenges
Student engagement is a key predictor of learning and personal development—the more students practice and engage with a subject—the more they learn;
Gamification fosters engagement, generating high levels of involvement and motivation—students are often unaware that learning is taking place;
A key challenge for educators is how to incorporate gamification into traditional classroom settings when teaching large cohorts, without significant disruption and cost.

5. Theorized Model of Kahoot!
Emotional Engagement
Kahoot! gamification
Cognitive Engagement
Behavioral Engagement
Student nationality
Direct Effect
Moderating Effect

6. Theorized Model of Kahoot!
Student engagement is a ‘meta-construct’ comprising 3 dimensions:
Cognitive engagement (self-regulation, learning goals);
Emotional engagement (positive attitudes towards learning, identification, interest) and;
Behavioral engagement (positive conduct, participation, and effort).

7. Preliminary Findings

8. Preliminary findings
“I actually wished (the) lectures were two hours long. The online interaction voting encouraged discussion and made the content especially interesting and it’s given me a real motivation to want to learn more outside of the academic environment.”
(Final year domestic UG student)
“The Kahoot! exercises made the lectures energetic, fun, engaging, and helpful. The teaching style, with interactions really added a factor of joy to the whole module.”
(International PG Student)

9. Proposed research methodology
Experiment to test of the efficacy of Kahoot! compared to an active control group—an alternative form of gamification e.g. a simulation;
Try to isolate any positive effects of Kahoot! above and beyond other types of gamification;
Model interaction effects of student nationality to determine if Kahoot! has stronger effects for international students.

10. Thank you for listening!