Abstract:

Smartphones are a very important tool in the information, communication and technology (ICT) society, younger citizens being those that make the greatest use of them. Yet, to date, little attention has been given to their use as an educational resource at university level.

The Internet and the introduction of multimedia in the classroom allow students to experience situations that complement their training in a far more motivating and active way. A great deal of progress has been made in this regard and in recent years several online tools have appeared as teaching aids. One such development is Kahoot!, which belongs to a new generation of ICT tools linked to the utilisation of mobile devices in the classroom. Kahoot! is a tool (app and platform) that enables the teacher or student to generate quizzes, surveys and discussions in real time and makes it possible to play games within the classroom. This concept is known as “gaming”.

If we bear in mind that one of the major concerns of university teaching staff is students' lack of motivation, introducing this sort of technological tools can be seen as a means to encourage their participation and motivation.

Based on these ideas, this study looks at ways to apply Kahoot! in different subjects included in the syllabi of the Degrees in Business Administration and in Finance and Accounting, and to measure and assess the results obtained in terms of improvements in students' academic performance and motivation. Another of its aims is to analyse and determine to what extent the use of Kahoot!, as a learning tool based on games, enables us to achieve, among other things: classes that are more dynamic and fun, interactive assessments of students' performance, higher levels of participation and learning in the classroom, and guidance on the main contents of the syllabus. This study was conducted with students from different degree courses, subjects and semesters, and analysed whether or not there were any significant differences between the results obtained in each of the groups. By so doing, the results would cover a wider range of situations and thus allow them to be generalised within the university setting.

Keywords:

Innovation, technology, research projects, Kahoot, Student Response System, smartphones, motivation, gaming, academic improvement.