THE IMPACT OF KAHOOT-BASED GAMIFIED ASSESSMENTS ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, MOTIVATION, AND ENGAGEMENT IN BUSINESS SCHOOLS

Аннотация

This paper investigates the impact of Kahoot-based gamified assessments on students' academic performance, motivation, and engagement within business schools. As gamification gains popularity in educational settings, Kahoot’s interactive quizzes and competitive elements offer an innovative alternative to traditional assessments. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative surveys and qualitative case studies, to assess how Kahoot impacts students' learning outcomes, intrinsic motivation, and classroom participation. The results suggest that Kahoot enhances academic performance, motivates students by offering real-time feedback, and significantly increases engagement in business courses. Furthermore, this paper offers strategies for professors seeking to leverage Kahoot effectively while maintaining educational rigor. The paper is structured into four sections: literature review, research methodology, discussion, and conclusion. The literature review examines existing studies on gamified assessments, followed by a description of the research methods used. The discussion evaluates the outcomes of using Kahoot in business school assessments, while the conclusion highlights best practices and implicationsfor futureresearch. Keywords: Kahoot, Gamified Assessments, Academic Performance, Motivation, Engagement, Business Education, StudentLearning. 1.Introduction In recent years, business schools have increasingly explored the use of gamified tools, such as Kahoot, as part of their assessment strategies. Kahoot, a widely used platform that enables interactive quizzes and competitive games, has become a popular method for engaging students and enhancing the learning experience. Unlike traditional assessments, Kahoot provides real-time feedback, rewards, and fosters a competitive yet supportive classroom environment. However, while Kahoot has the potential to make assessments more engaging, there are concerns regarding its effectiveness in terms ofacademic performance, long-term motivation,and overall engagement in business courses. Gamified assessments are designed to combine the enjoyment and competitiveness of games with academic tasks, encouraging students to actively participate and master course material. However, the question remains: does Kahoot-based gamification truly enhance students’ academic performance, motivation, and engagement, or does it primarily appeal to students on a superficial level? This study explores these questions by examining the impact of Kahoot-based assessments on undergraduate business students, focusing on how these gamified elements influence their academic results, intrinsic motivation, and class participation. The goal is to evaluate whether Kahoot can be atoolfor improvingeducational outcomes whilemaintaining academicrigor. 20 INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL FOR RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT SJIF2019:5.2222020:5.5522021:5.6372022:5.4792023:6.5632024:7,805 eISSN:2394-6334 https://www.ijmrd.in/index.php/imjrd Volume12,issue02(2025) 2.Literature Review The integration of gamification into educational settings, especially using platforms like Kahoot, has attracted increasing attention from both researchers and educators. Studies suggest that gamified tools have the potential to significantly impact students’ academic performance, motivation, and engagement. For instance, research by Anderson et al. (2014) highlights that gamification, when implemented correctly, can enhance student performance by fostering a more interactive and enjoyable learning environment. However, the effectiveness of gamification tools like Kahoot depends on their design and the manner in which they are integrated into the curriculum. Kahoot, specifically, has been the subject of several studies exploring its impact on student learning. According to studies by Hamari et al. (2016) and Seaborn & Fels (2015), Kahoot is effective in improving student engagement and motivation through features such as leaderboards, instant feedback, and the element of competition. However, some research raises concerns that over-reliance on gamification may promote surface-level engagement, where students focus more onwinning orcompeting rather than deeply understanding the material (Deterding et al.,2011). The impact of Kahoot on motivation and engagement is particularly relevant in the context of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation. According to Deci & Ryan (2000), students are most motivated when they experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Kahoot, by offering students immediate feedback, progression tracking, and rewards, can address these needs, thus promoting higher levels of motivation. However, the balance between competition and learning is a crucial factor that needs to be considered for Kahoot to serve as abeneficial pedagogical tool. 3.Research Methodology This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness