Abstract:

The development of information and communication technologies (ICT) has enabled the emergence of teaching tools in the education field, providing practical tools to support face-to-face classes. In this context, electronic student response systems can be useful for introducing a motivating technological element into the lessons, as well as a new methodology. These systems also provide a valuable tool to enhance proactive learning, where the teacher’s main role is to teach learning skills, model the learning process and evaluate activities, while the student builds his own learning path. While the use of interactive response systems is increasingly common in university classrooms, they are mostly employed by large student groups. The first type of “Personal Response Systems” were Clickers. Clickers have practical problems related to the use of specific software, teacher’s knowledge about their management and the material required in classroom, such as an infrared sensor and a limited number of specific controllers to collect the answers. In 2013, Kahoot, a free platform based on mobile learning, reached the market. This platform carries out the same activities as Clickers, but students can answer using a device with internet access such as computers, tablets or smartphones, without using a specific controller.

This paper demonstrates the results obtained in the project "The use of interactive response systems as a tool to foster practical learning in Engineering", funded by the University of Cordoba within the Teaching Innovation Plan 2016-2017. In this project, mobile learning technology has been introduced to present a methodology of using Kahoot in the subject “Physical Foundations of Engineering II” of Electronic Engineering Degree. Department of Applied Physics of University of Cordoba has a broad experience using Clickers in theory classes with large groups for different university degrees, but now the use of mobile learning technologies has been introduced in medium-sized groups for practical classes. Using this new methodology, students of medium-sized groups perform a quiz during the problem solving lesson, where they utilized their knowledge gained during the class. The completion of the quiz allows teachers to assess the student’s level, and to use the feedback to address initial problems and misunderstandings.

Results show that Kahoot is highly valued by students, who perceive it as a tool to improve learning and increase competition in the classroom. In conclusion, by sharing direct feedback on what has been learned, it is observed that the students motivate themselves, are actively involved in the learning process, create short-term goals, and pay more attention to the teacher’s explanations.

Keywords:

Mobile Learning technology, Proactive learning, Interactive response system, Higher education, innovation, Gamification.