Abstract:

The use of technology in education has been on the rise in recent years. One of the areas where technology has been applied is in pre-class preparation. This study aims to investigate the impact of online quizzes and assessments that are combined with gamification rules on pre-class preparation in an Engineering design course. The aim of this study is to determine whether these online quizzes and assessments can improve pre-class preparation in an Engineering design course.

The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks and involved two groups of students: a control group and an experimental group. The control group was asked to do pre-class preparation by reading and watching interactive videos, while the experimental group was asked to do the same in addition to having a pre-class and start-of-class quiz with gamification rules. The quizzes were designed to be relevant and cover the material that was assigned for pre-class work. They were also used as a way to review key concepts and identify areas where students may need additional help. Formative and summative assessments were provided on the quizzes, and they were used as an opportunity to reinforce important concepts. The gamification rules included points for correct answers, bonus points for completing the quiz correctly and within the allowed time, and penalties for incorrect answers. The quizzes were timed to encourage students to complete them quickly. The results of the study were measured at the knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

The results of the study showed that the experimental group performed better than the control group at all those levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. The use of online pre-class and start-of-class quizzes and assessments helped students prepare for class more effectively and improve their understanding of key concepts, practice learning levels, stay organized, solve complex problems, and improve their productivity. Thus, it opened up new learning opportunities and helped students ‘learn how to learn’. This can also enhance students’ engagement, motivation, and readiness for class. This study provides evidence that these techniques can be used to improve student’s learning outcomes in engineering design courses.

Keywords:

Online quizzes, Pre-class preparation, Active Learning, and Gamification rules.