Let’s face it, digital devices, whether cell phones,
laptops, or tablets, put the world at our fingertips. At the same time, they
can be distractions for students in the classroom. Instead of banning digital
devices in your classroom, why not turn these potential distractors into
learning opportunities. This article discusses Kahoot!, a game-based student
response system, found by researchers to foster students’ engagement, enhance
classroom dynamics, and improve overall students’ learning experience.
Kahoot!
Game-Based Learning Platform
Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform used as an
educational technology for student responses, typically in a classroom
environment. The platform provides game templates for multiple choice
questions, jumble questions, discussions, and surveys. The learning games,
kahoots, can also include multimedia (videos, images, and diagrams). Students participate using cell phones,
laptops, or tablets. In a classroom environment, questions and responses are
displayed on a large screen. The aim of the game is to answer the questions as
correctly and quickly as possible (What is Kahoot!?, 2019).
Kahoot!
in Action
Licorish, Owen, Daniel, and George (2018), examined
students’ experience using Kahoot! in an Information Systems Strategy and
Governance course at a research-intensive teaching university in New Zealand. The
aim of the study was to explore classroom dynamics, students’ engagement,
motivation, and learning as a result of using Kahoot!. Kahoot! was used in four
different ways during seven different lectures for an average duration of about
30 minutes (2018, p. 8):
- to quiz students on various topics to understand their competence before tailoring lesson plans,
- for exploring students’ knowledge of topics after they were delivered in lectures,
- to help students to validate their comprehension and understanding of topics by having them design their own Kahoot! assessments which were then collectively played, and
- for fun where the focus was on topics unrelated to the course (e.g. sports).
Over the length of the course, students played seven
teaching staff created Kahoot!s and nine student-created Kahoot!s. The
researchers observed that Kahoot! provided students with more opportunities to
engage with the lecturer, peers, and lecture content. Key findings from the
study revealed that Kahoot! enriched the quality of student learning in the
classroom in regards to classroom dynamics, engagement, motivation, and
improved learning experience. Also, the
use of a game-based student response system in the classroom may likely
minimize distractions and improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Bryant, Correll, and Clarke (2018) developed a content
learning activity using the Kahoot! student response system as an innovative
method of teaching pharmacology. Prior to laboratory class, students completed
interactive online learning tutorials for five medications. At the beginning of lab class, students
gathered in their clinical groups and developed one multiple choice question
addressing nursing knowledge for each of five assigned medications. Students were allowed to use books and drug
guides. Students submitted the questions with highlighted corrected answers to
the instructors. Then, the instructors
reviewed the items for quality and entered 10 questions and responses into the
Kahoot! quiz template. During the second half of the class, students answered
the 10 questions (1 question at time) using their own cell phones or devices.
After each question, the instructors provided a brief discussion of rationales
for correct answers. After class, the 10 questions were posted in the course
online platform for students to review in preparation for their graded
pharmacology quiz. In evaluating the success of the Kahoot! activity, students
reported that generating questions was helpful for learning about medications
and they enjoyed the competitive and entertaining features of the game. All
students successfully passed the end-of-course 10-question medication
pharmacology quiz, which included the five medications covered in the Kahoot!
activity.
Conclusion
Although the focus in this article is on Kahoot!, other game-based
student response systems exist. The use of a game-based student response system
in classroom not only has the potential to address digital distractions, but to
also address challenges in student motivation, participation, and performance. So,
why not turn student’s distractions with digital technology into learning
opportunities in the classroom? Remember to always consider the course learning
outcomes before implementing strategies into the classroom.
References
Bryant, S. G., Correll, J. M., & Clarke, B. M. (2018). Fun with pharmacology: Winning students over with kahoot! game-based learning. Journal of Nursing Education, 57(5), 320. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20180420-15
Licorish, S. A., Owen, H. E., Daniel, B., & George, J. L. (2018). Students’ perception of Kahoot!’s influence on teaching and learning. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 13(1). doi:10.1186/s41039-018-0078-8
What is Kahoot!? (2019, March 14). Retrieved from https://kahoot.com/what-is-kahoot/
Licorish, S. A., Owen, H. E., Daniel, B., & George, J. L. (2018). Students’ perception of Kahoot!’s influence on teaching and learning. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 13(1). doi:10.1186/s41039-018-0078-8
What is Kahoot!? (2019, March 14). Retrieved from https://kahoot.com/what-is-kahoot/
Cite this blog:
Washington, G. (2019, March 28). Turn Digital Distractions into Learning
Opportunities [Blog post]. Retrieved
from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/
