Teachers’ Perception of Advantages and Disadvantages of Kahoot!

Many instructors around the world have been using different Game-based Student Response Systems due to the rise in the variety and availability of digital educational and commercial games. Kahoot, one of the most popular among these systems, provides a game experience by combining theory of intrinsic motivation and game-flow with the help of audio/visual aids. In spite of the numerous attempts to evaluate this game-based tool according, limited research has focused on teachers’ perceptions of the potential strengths and weaknesses of Kahoot, specifically in GCC countries. Employing focus group interviews, this study attempts to shed some light on the potential advantages and disadvantages of Kahoot by gathering the views of teachers who work at the Center for Preparatory Studies at a university in Oman. Results indicate that although teachers believe that Kahoot is qualified with several positive features, it still suffers from several disadvantages in which it can definitely improve.

Clickers, Best Uses and Benefits

<p>This study provides an analysis of the use student response systems in undergraduate and postgraduate classrooms. Research was conducted utilising a qualitative analysis approach, grounding theories by reviewing related literature, interviewing lecturers and conducting class observation. The study was carried out over two consecutive trimesters, summer 2010 and first trimester of 2011, at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. By conducting this research it is hoped to help improving the quality of teaching. Within this study, it was determined that student response systems are useful for both engaging student and increasing their overall enjoyment of the class. The benefit of using student response systems in the classroom was also found to be dependent on preserving the novelty of the technology and keeping students’ responses anonymous, by redesigning lecturers to have proper student response system questions in order to make the most out of the technology. Overall, this study determined that the decision whether or not to utilise student response systems in the classroom should be made based on the level of education of the class and its objectives, whether it is a lecture, tutorial or seminar, with clickers working best in large size, undergraduate classrooms.</p>

Student Response Systems in a Technology Enhanced Flipped Classroom: A Qualitative Investigation in Higher Education

Disruptive technology and a generation with an increased interest in using that technology to aid their learning has caused a need to change the current educational landscape. Student Response Systems are a contemporary means to integrate digital technology in the modern classroom. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the perspectives that impact students' engagement when using Student Response Systems in a technology enhanced classroom environment. The study was guided by qualitative methods of inquiry through non-participant observations, examination of the course material, and semi-structured interviews. The in-depth interviews (n = 14) were conducted with graduate students who participated in the technology enhanced flipped classroom (TEFC) during their STEM degree studies in southern Sweden. The collected data were analyzed through the means of content analysis. The results of the study show that Student Response Systems are an effective and innovative method to increase students’ engagement in the classroom and embrace a modern learning environment. The participants expressed a positive impact on their willingness to participate in classroom discussions and share their respective views. A drawback that was mentioned is the dissatisfaction to invest more time in preparation ahead of the discussion, compared to lecture-based learning. The Student Response Systems increased the graduate students’ esteem to comfortably engage in classroom discussions and offers educators an additional tool to enhance their current pedagogical methods. The study contributes to the body of knowledge by closing an identified research gap that lacks perceptions from graduate students in a STEM program in southern Sweden. There are a few limitations that the reader should consider. The collected data pertains to graduate-level studies in a STEM degree program. Further, ample data were collected through multiple sources; however, the reflections are limited to 14 interview participants and are, therefore, not generalizable to other populations than those examined in the context.

A Tale of Two Institutions: Analyzing the Impact of Gamified Student Response Systems on Student Anxiety in Two Different Introductory Biology Courses

Students in two large-enrollment introductory biology classes were surveyed about their perceptions of how a gamified student response system, Kahoot!, affected their anxiety. Kahoot! was less anxiety inducing than most other classroom techniques, and this difference was more pronounced for lower-achieving students.

Japanese Students’ English Language Learning Experience through Computer Game-Based Student Response Systems

Technology has been vastly used in learning context for the purpose of enhancing students’ learning performance. The integration of computer in language teaching and learning is growing. In particular, the computer game-based student response systems such as Kahoot! application is implemented by some educators in their teaching classesto improve students’ learning experience. Meanwhile, collaborative learning plays an important role in teaching and learning practice. Thus, this paper aims to examine the use of Kahoot! application integrated with collaborative learning approach influences the learning experiences of Japanese students in English language classroom. An experimental research approach was conducted to study how Kahoot! application is affecting the learning experiences of Japenese students. Student engegement observation checklist and feedback form were used as the research instruments in this study. The population comprised 20 Japanese students who enrolled in English language classroom participated in this experiment. The findings show that Kahoot! integrated with collaborative learning approach made positive impact on students by contributing to better engagement and enhanced learning experience of students. This study can be a reference for instructors who plan to implement game-based student response systems and collaborative learning in English language classroom.

As Student Response Systems Expand Features and Question Types, Multiple Choice Continues to be the Gold Standard for Calculations from both Student and Instructor Perspectives

Student response systems (SRS) continue to evolve as bring-your-own-device (BYOD) systems allow more question and answer types to be utilized. While users were once limited to a button press on a clicker selecting from a list of predetermined responses, students can now generate text and numerical responses on their personal devices. Question and response types are now limited only by software, and new features can be added without requiring an overhaul of the existing system. Using two successive course offerings of a biomedical lab techniques class, the effect of question type was evaluated, using a crossover experimental design, and applied to novel discipline-specific calculations. Students used the Top Hat student response system (tophat.com) to answer either multiple choice questions (MCQ) or numerical response questions (NRQ) in class. Student responses were tracked for elapsed time to completion, performance, and subsequent test performance. Additionally, students were surveyed about their question-type preference. Analysis shows that on formative assessments, students take less time on multiple choice questions, are successful more often, and show a clear preference for this type. When students used those calculations on summative exams, they performed similarly regardless of whether they initially used MCQ or NRQ. Students also expressed clear preference for MCQ. The use of NRQ is still recommended to be used strategically as it increases question difficulty and diversity. The findings from this study may assist STEM instructors looking to formulate their own evidence-based best practices when incorporating SRSs intotheir pedagogy.