Teachers' Perceptions on the Influence of Kahoot! on the Mathematics Achievement of High School Students

The use of digital game-based learning has increased in recent years. Educators have a plethora of digital tools to complement their pedagogical practices and to support student learning. This qualitative study examined how 10 high school math teachers perceived the use of Kahoot! as an instructional intervention, and how teachers perceived the impact of Kahoot! on the math achievement of students. Participants responded to 17 semistructured questions via the Zoom virtual platform. The study was guided by literature relating to the TPACK framework, play theory, constructivism and social learning theory. Research is limited on teacher perceptions of Kahoot! in the classroom as an instructional tool and on the impact of Kahoot! interventions on student math achievement. The findings of the study resulted in four major themes, including engagement and motivation, lesson enhancement, challenges, and serious games. Findings revealed that participants perceived Kahoot! to have a positive impact on student engagement and motivation, and enhanced the quality of the lessons. Participants experienced challenges with connectivity, maintaining student interest, and effective integration of Kahoot! activities. Overall, teachers perceived that, to impact student learning, Kahoot! interventions should be well-designed with purpose and a connection to instruction. The findings indicate that with support through professional development opportunities, Kahoot! interventions might be more successful. The findings contribute to research on digital game-based learning and the integration of digital games like Kahoot! in the math classroom, and contribute to research on the adoption of Kahoot! interventions as an integral component of teachers' pedagogical practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]