Abstract:

The revolution of this current digital era has led to changes in the way how teaching is done. An example is that game-based tech tools have been widely integrated in English as Foreign Language (EFL) formative assessment processes carried out in the classrooms. As this technology is introduced rapidly is crucial to evaluate if it brings real benefits to education. For that, the main aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of the use of Quizizz online learning application in enhancing students’ performance by comparing it to the traditional pen-to-paper exercises in grammar and vocabulary lessons. In this work, two groups of Ecuadorian students majoring software engineering enrolled in Module 2 of the English Language Program in summer semester 2019 at one Ecuadorian university were selected. A Pre-experimental design was employed in which one class participated as control group and the other as experimental group. In the last stage of the lessons, participants in the control group were asked to complete exercises in the book or in worksheets; on the other hand, students in the experimental group were required to join to Quizizz live games monitored by the teacher and from which they obtained immediate feedback after each question. After the treatment period, tests were taken by both groups. The results show score differences between students who worked with Quizizz in their learning process and their counterparts. The independent t-test at the 0.05 level of significance was utilized to determine if the differences found are statistically significant. As using gamified assessment tools in EFL instruction constitutes a growing area of research, some possible influencing factors for these findings are discussed in this paper.

Keywords:

Quizizz, gamification, formative assessment, EFL, grammar, vocabulary.