Abstract:

The development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) together with the changes produced in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has resulted in a set of changes that directly affect teaching in university centers. Traditionally, the main figure in the master classes given in university institutions has been the teaching staff. However, in recent years, the figure of the student body is acquiring a greater role in the development of classes, this being an active element in the classroom. Currently, the dynamics of academic sessions advance in much more dynamic and active environments, where student participation is crucial to improve the quality of teaching. In this sense, the use of interactive tools that encourage student involvement is a necessity and it seems that little by little it is being implemented in university centers. These new methodologies, based on the gamification of the master classes, aim to enhance student participation through “games” or dynamic tasks, where students are an active element in these processes. The use of tools such as Mentimeter contribute to facilitating the implementation of these active and participatory methodologies, due to their multifunctional nature. The creation of word clouds, electronic voting systems, the development of dialogues or the creation of PowerPoint presentations, are just some of the functions included in this application. The instrument was successfully used in university teaching at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Valencia. Specifically, Mentimeter was used in the subject of Commercial Distribution, belonging to the Degree in Business Administration and Management (ADE); and in the subjects of the Degree in Business Intelligence and Analytics (BIA). In this way, first, second, third and fourth year students, both national and International Programs, were able to experience the use of this tool. The success of its implementation in teaching can be assessed from two perspectives. On the one hand, from the point of view of the students, it was possible to increase their participation, attention and motivation in the classroom. In addition, from the teachers' perspective, the quality of the presentations was increased and immediate feedback was obtained from those attending the classes. The benefits achieved by the use of Mentimeter in the classroom, both for students and teachers, indicate the relevance of complementing traditional teaching as teaching methodologies based on gamification

Keywords:

Gamification, participatory methodologies, University.