Using Kahoot! in the Classroom to Create Engagement and Active Learning: A Game-Based Technology Solution for eLearning Novices

Abstract

Instructional games are gaining acceptance in the classroom as the eLearning merits of student engagement and immediate feedback are recognized. Within higher education, the use of these tools is often limited due to lack of time, insufficient experience, or doubts regarding the scholarly merits of such activities. Kahoot! is a popular eLearning tool that can easily be used to add vitality, student engagement, and meta-cognitive supports to higher education classrooms with limited instructor or student training required. The free online learning platform has gained wide acceptance globally with more than 30 million users worldwide, and it is based on current user-centered and behavioral design methodologies. Student responses and our experiences using Kahoot! in graduate and undergraduate classrooms indicate that students welcome the use of this game. The real-time feedback provides opportunities for professors in various disciplines to tailor their instruction based on student understanding on quizzes while the surveys allow for anonymous classroom participation, which further engages all students.