CHAPTER 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Technology is being increasingly integrated into teaching environments in view of enhancing

students’ engagement and motivation. In particular, game-based student response systems
have been found to foster students’ engagement, enhance motivation and improve overall
students’ learning experience. Play is a social-centred process, able to boost motivation and
promote learning across all levels and ages. With the growing push for creativity in the
classroom as well as the application of effective technology in teaching and learning, it can
be a daunting task for educators to find fitting competitive or game-based learning platforms.
Foremost, educators need to consider elements such as motivation and whether the platform
is likely to foster and reinforce learning. The purpose of the present study is therefore to
explore the use of the online platform Kahoot! to motivate students to learn vocabulary. As a
tool for teaching and learning vocabulary in an English Class. Kahoot! is a gaming system
designed for interactive learning and can be utilised for students of all ages. This study will
be conducted qualitatively involving a group of Malaysian ESL students (n = 25) of Year 5
from an urban school whose English language proficiency is at intermediate level. All the
participants will be exposed to weekly Kahoot! sessions over a period of time; the sessions
focuses largely on learning vocabulary.

At the end of the sessions, the data will be collected via interviews and observations which
later will be analysed descriptively. Hence, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with
students to learn about the extent to which Kahoot! motivates students’ learning process and
their perceptions about game-based learning strategy. In the context of this study, the use of
oneline game-based technology, KAHOOT in an ESL classroom will be observed. The study
examines the students’ participation while playing KAHOOT and also looks at the students’
level of attainment towards the topic content. The study hopes to provide insights for better
implementation of game-based technologies in English language classroom curriculum.

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1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

As one of the essential elements of the language learning, vocabulary serves as the very basis
of language development. Vocabulary is known as the building blocks of language and no
language acquisition can take place without the acquisition of vocabulary. According to
Richards (2002), vocabulary is the core component of language proficiency and provides
much of the basis for how well learners speak, listen, read, and write. Lehr, Osborn, and
Hiebert (2005) define vocabulary as knowledge of words and words meaning in both oral and
print language and in productive and receptive forms. Those definitions show that vocabulary
is the first element that the English learners should learn in order to master English well
besides the other English components and skills. The vocabulary of language always changes
and grows. As life become more complex, people devise or borrow new words to describe
human’s activities. No one knows exact numbers of words in the English vocabulary today.
Foreign language acquisition is generally considered to be closely associated with
vocabulary study and many scholars prove that lexical deficiency constantly interferes with
the daily communication. Vocabulary is of prime concern in second language settings
because it plays a dominant role in classroom success. However, the importance of
vocabulary learning has never been overemphasized in learning a foreign language.
Therefore, more researches begin to revolve around how to improve and promote vocabulary
learning on the basis of learning strategies.

With the rapid integration of technology and internet, the vision of foreign language teaching
and learning needs to be improved through a different perspective of education. Motivation is
one of the most important factors that affects learning and teaching process. When the needs
of learners are taken into account, the educational system that is available for learners cannot
afford the needs in terms motivational factors. From a psychological aspect, motivation is an
essential personality factor that a language learner needs to produce a foreign language. So,
an approach including elements that enhance motivation and engage learners in language
should be preferred in order to achieve success at the end of the learning and teaching
process. Technological advancement and its continuous progress has transformed how
activities are performed on a daily basis. The incorporation of play in learning has seen the
emergence of a very unique concept of game-based learning. According to Zarzycka-Piskorz
(2016), it is basically the use of game elements and game design techniques in non-game
contexts. Game-based learning or gamification allows learners the opportunity to be fully

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involved in the learning cycle. Gamification is an approach that promotes motivation.
According to Werbach and Hunter (2012), game elements and game design techniques can be
used in non-game contexts. The main benefit of gamification is to make the learner
participate in the process and increase motivation. The engagement and fun factors of game-
based learning have been found to boost learners’ motivation and sustain retention. Zarzycka-
Piskorz (2016) highlighted that there exists strong evidence showing a relationship between
game-playing and increased motivation as well as persistence. Gardner (2006, p.241) posits
that students with higher levels of motivation will do better than students with lower levels.
He further adds that if one is motivated, he or she has reasons that motives for engaging in
the relevant activities, expends effort, shows desire to achieve the goal, enjoys the activities
and etc. (Gardner, 2006, p.243). Some students seem to be very low interest in foreign
language learning and use to be very passive and quiet because of some individual, social or
cultural reasons. Some are not even paying attention and tend to do their own work.
Therefore, this study is expected to shed light on a method in order to make a warm,
comfortable and entertaining atmosphere classroom setting for those kind of students.

Game-based learning tools such as Kahoot! compliment instructional practices with new
technological solutions. Kahoot! is a digital game-based student response system that allows
teachers and learners in classroom settings to interact through competitive knowledge games
using existing infrastructure. Wang, Zhu and Sætre (2016) pointed out that Kahoot!
represents a new generation of student response systems that focuses on student motivation
and engagement through gamification. This platform is apt for increasing motivation and
engagement which promotes learning, and for assessing students’ understanding of a lesson.
In short, Kahoot! apparently offers a host of benefits and allows educators to be creative and
students to be motivated, intrinsically and extrinsically. In conclusion, Kahoot is the
alternative media that can engage students’ motivation in learning.

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1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In learning a foreign language, vocabulary plays an important role. It is one element that links
the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing all together. In order to
communicate well in a foreign language, students should acquire an adequate number of
words and should know how to use them accurately. Even though students realize the
importance of vocabulary when learning language, most Malaysian students learn vocabulary
passively due to several factors. First, they consider the teacher's explanation for meaning or
definition, pronunciation, spelling and grammatical functions boring. In this case scenario,
language learners have nothing to do in a vocabulary learning section but to listen to their
teacher. Second, students only think of vocabulary learning as knowing the primary meaning
of new words. Therefore, they ignore all other functions of the words. Third, students usually
only acquire new vocabulary through new words in their textbooks or when given by teachers
during classroom lessons. Forth, many Malaysian learners do not want to take risks in
applying what they have learnt. Students may recognize a word in a written or spoken form
and think that they already "know the word", but they may not be able to use that word
properly in different contexts or pronounce it correctly.

According to Prensky (2003), “a motivated learner can’t be stopped”. Unfortunately, much of

learning in general is often dry, boring and even technical, and English language learning per
se can be somewhat daunting for a student who is already struggling with the language.
Despite years of compulsory English classes, Malaysian students are still confronted with a
lack of English proficiency (Tan, 2016; David, 2015; Mohini et al., 2008). The dominant role
of English in today’s world has resulted in the prioritisation of English mastery, by which an
individual’s inclusion or exclusion, particularly with respect to the domains of education and
the economy, is determined (Tan, 2016). Essentially, this leaves Malaysian students with no
choice but to become adept users of the language, and the responsibility is largely on
educators to find effective ways to help them. Studies have shown that low proficiency ESL
students lack of motivation to improve their language proficiency (Hsu & Chuen, 2008), and
may even exhibit negative behaviours such as not paying attention during lessons or skipping
their English classes altogether (Adi, 2011). On the whole, students rarely experience
motivation or a positive drive when educators do not make use of highly engaging methods
that are likely to pique and sustain interest, as well as foster and reinforce learning.

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The problem, however, lies in the selection of suitable platforms that can truly engage
learners and this can be a complex task for educators dealing with today’s generation of
learners – a generation that has essentially grown up with technology from childhood and has
become, at least to a certain degree, desensitised to it. According to Yunus et al. (2012), it is
now “a challenge for educators to be able to choose the right game, and to create an effective
learning environment suited for our Malaysian setting” (p. 360). Meanwhile, Thang et al.
(2016) in a research involving four public universities in Malaysia found that low proficiency
students do have a favourable view of the adoption of more technology into the classroom but
are not inclined to invest time and energy in it. It is probably safe then to suggest that the real
challenge is not limited to the selection of the correct platforms to use, but also rests in
educators implementing game-based learning in a way that can drive students to stay attuned
to it. Additionally, Wahab and Joy (2017), in their preliminary study on raising engagement
and motivation via gamification in higher learning institutions in Malaysia, found that on the
whole students were receptive to gamification and demonstrated gamification readiness,
barring major constraints with regards to infrastructure and facilities.

Gamification promotes motivation and facilitates effective learning through the employment
of game elements, mechanics and game-based thinking (Kapp, 2014), thus making it
indispensable for the teaching and learning of content that students term as ‘boring’. The
problem, however, lies in the selection of suitable platforms that can truly engage our learners
and help them learn. The researchers suggested a possible explanation for this, that this
phenomenon could be attributed to the manner in which technology is used in the classroom.
This implies that while technology is abundant, the real challenge rests in educators selecting
the correct technological platforms for use in their classrooms, that is, gaming platforms that
can effectively motivate students to pay attention and learn, as well as encourage sustained
learning within the Malaysian context.

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1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

There are two objectives of this research. They are:

1. To explore the perceptions of learners towards the use of Kahoot in learning vocabulary.
2. To discover how Kahoot! gamified learning enhances learners’ motivation towards
learning vocabulary process in ESL classroom.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This research aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the perceptions of learners towards the use of Kahoot in learning vocabulary.
2. How does the use of Kahoot! gamified learning enhances learners’ motivation towards
learning vocabulary?

1.5 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

VOCABULARY
Vocabulary can be defined as '' words we must know to communicate effectively; words in
speaking (expressive vocabulary) and words in listening (receptive vocabulary)'' (Neuman &
Dwyer, 2009, p. 385). Hornby (1995) defines vocabulary as ''the total number of International
Journal of Teaching and Education Vol. III, No. 3 / 2015 24 words in a language; vocabulary
is a list of words with their meanings”. While Ur (1998) states: “Vocabulary can be defined,
roughly, as the words we teach in the foreign language. In addition, Burns (1972) defines
vocabulary as" the stock of words which is used by a person, class or profession. According
to Zimmerman cited in Coady and Huckin (1998) ‘vocabulary is central to language and of
critical importance to the typical language learning. Furthermore, Diamond and Gutlohn
(2006) in www.readingrockets.org/article state that vocabulary is the knowledge of words
and word meanings.” From the definitions above, it can be concluded that vocabulary is the
total number of words that are needed to communicate ideas and express the speakers'
meaning. That is the reason why it is important to learn vocabulary.

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At first, it seems necessary to provide a clear definition of the term vocabulary. Different
definitions may be given for the term vocabulary regarding different viewpoints. However
one can generally define vocabulary as the knowledge of words and word meanings. Or
someone else may define vocabulary as a list of words arranged in alphabetical order with
their definitions.

KAHOOT!
Kahoot! is a digital game that can be used in classrooms to engage students through game
like pre made or impromptu quizzes, discussions and surveys (Dellos, 2015 & John, 2015).
Kahoot! does not only promotes an interactive fun learning environment, but also challenges
students in the learning process. Teachers can explore the ample functions provided on the
platform whether to create their own quiz or to utilize available quizzes created by people
around the globe (Graham, 2015), which can be accessed through https://getkahoot.com.

MOTIVATION

Accoriding to Prachi Juneja (2019) motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’
which means needs, desires, wants or drives within the individuals. It is the process of
stimulating people to actions to accomplish the goals. In the work goal context the
psychological factors stimulating the people’s behaviour can be desire for money, success,
recognition, job-satisfaction, team work, etc. Therefore, we can say that motivation is a
psychological phenomenon which means needs and wants of the individuals have to be
tackled by framing an incentive plan.

Atkinson & Feather (1966) defined that student's motivation is related to the feeling of self-
satisfaction after the failure or success of their marks or their results. The experience creates
an accumulation of positive and negative results which can help us to predict our possible
results. According to Alonso Tapia (1991), without taking into account other factors, the
accumulation of failing experiences makes motivation and the expectations of success
decrease. In order to change this situation we should try to reduce failure experiences at
school to a minimum.

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1.6 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will assist the English teachers to help students to learn and
improve their vocabulary acquisition in primary schools using 21st century learning approach
which emphasis on the use of technology. Sufficient vocabulary learning helps students
understand and communicate easily and successfully. In addition, English vocabulary
learners for those who dedicate a lot of time and energy to vocabulary learning but have little
satisfactory effect, they can be highly enlightened with half the effort during vocabulary
learning using Kahoot! to get twice the result. The findings also provide direction with
regards to educational policy-planning and are on the whole, of relevance to educators,
learners, and course designers. Thus, this study and its findings will contribute to the field of
education and technology, and will offer better direction in terms of the selection and
implementation of game-based learning platforms in Malaysian primary education. The study
and its findings can also be employed as a guide for educational policy-planning and are on
the whole of significance to researchers, educators, course designers, and designers of game-
based learning applications.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The present study has limitations that must be acknowledged. The results of this study may
differ if there is no wireless connectivity. Another limitation for the study is the limited time
in class because the teacher hurries up with the covering of the syllabus. On the other hand,
technological innovation, and availability of technical and digital equipment does not imply a
pedagogical innovation itself, if teacher cannot organize the learning environment well or
cannot choose the appropriate strategy to teach. For that reason, Kahoot can have limitations
from a foreign language pedagogical perspective. If not used properly or used very
frequently, this type of activity can cause demotivation. Therefore, it is advisable to apply
this type of quizzes moderately, with clear and precise objectives, and always with feedback,
in order to enrich the evaluation and improve the teaching-learning process. Another
limitation of this study is the time frame in which this study will be conducted. This study
will conducted for 3 months of Malaysian school calendar. The time is limited due to number
of public holidays and other school events that will postpone the data collection. As a result,
the outcome of the study may differ from previous studies conducted on the same topic.

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Finally, the number of participants and the research site are limited. With the small sample
size of the study participants, it might be difficult to generalize the results to ESL learners.
Additionally, the focus on one educational institution is considered as another shortcoming of
this study because the findings do not recognize differences between educational institutions
in term of ESL clientele and socio-economic background for instance, which may have an
impact on students’ motivation. Therefore, it would be beneficial to replicate this study using
enough sample sizes and various research sites to reach more convincing results. Moreover,
the present study is limited by its reliance on one single gamified platform. Other
gamification systems might have other design approaches to motivate learners. Therefore, it
might be difficult to make broad recommendations using these findings. In future research,
the study of other gamification platforms will surely be helpful to yield solid findings.

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 CHAPTER 2

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Motivation: An important factor for SLA
This section is highly related to this study since its purpose is to check if the strategy used by
the researcher in the classroom and the students' motivation have any relation. For this
reason, it is important to mention and explain the term motivation and the relation of it with
the teaching-learning process. Motivation is an essential factor for second language
acquisition. Researchers find that students who are not motivated nor interested in the
learning process need different strategies in order to motivate them. The teachers need to
make the lessons more interesting and try to make students more participative. Alonso Tapia
(1991) assures that although most times the teachers try hard, it is not enough. It is necessary
to know why the student is sometimes motivated by the task or activities he or she has to do
and why sometimes he or she is not. Gardner (1982) identified a number of factors which are
essential for SLA. His model attempts to relate some features to the acquisition of second
language acquisition. In addition to this, Gardner's model includes four individual differences
which are prominent in SLA. They are intelligence, language aptitude, motivation and
situational anxiety. As the basis of this work requires it, this study is going to focus only on
motivation. Atkinson & Feather (1966) argue that student's motivation is related to the
feeling of self-satisfaction after the failure or success of their marks or their results.
According to Alonso Tapia (1991), without taking into account other factors, the
accumulation of failing experiences makes motivation and the expectations of success
decrease. In order to change this situation teachers should try to reduce failure experiences at
school to a minimum. According Alonso Tapia (1991), when students are not motivated with
the activity or task, the teachers try to motivate them with a reward or a punishment. They
seem to be the most effective ways of raising motivation if they are correctly employed.
Although sometimes these procedures are necessary, they are not as effective as we would
like. They are effective when they are present but once the reward or the punishment has
ended, the motivation disappears. There are studies which prove that when there is an
absence of reward, the students use to solve more difficult problems, to involve themselves
more in the activity and they are more logical and coherent when using a strategy to solve the

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problem. Moreover, as Joan Vaello (2011) says, it also exists the intrinsic motivation which
refers to the interest that the student has for the subject itself. The students with this type of
motivation enjoy learning the subject and they do not need any external motivation to learn.
Most of times, the teacher has an important role since it has to introduce the students to the
subject and awake their intrinsic motivation. For this reason, the contents that are taught and
the way they are presented to the students are fundamental in order to make the students feel
more motivated. Not all students are the same or are motivated in the same way. In order to
motivate students to learn and to be interested in the learning process there are sources that
can be used (Carrasco & Baignol, 1993). In conclusion, motivation is a crucial factor for
SLA. It can be different depending on the person but the teacher can use different methods or
techniques to motivate the students and help them to feel more comfortable in their learning
process.

2.2 Gamification
Gamification is understood as “the use of game-based mechanisms, aesthetics and game
thinking to engage people, motivate action, promote learning and solve problems (Kapp,
2012). One of the objectives of gamification is to influence the behaviour of people, through
the experiences and feelings that are built through games, encouraging commitment and
loyalty of users, customers and workers (Ramírez, 2014) and using “motivation for the
achievement of specific objectives” (Teixes, 2015: 18). It has also been argued that game-
based situated learning environments promote student motivation and engagement. It is
undeniable that quiz game applications based on students’ response tools such as Kahoot! is
considered as one of the relevant sources to build complementary education material that
attract twenty first century students. As general, this tool allows building online quiz games,
which can be used in the education area especially in ESL class. Students do not need a
Kahoot!! account to access the quiz and can access the quiz through any device with a web
browser, such as an iPad, Android device, or Chromebook (Byrne, 2013). It is an advantage
since there are many students and almost all tertiary students have a smartphone to access
into this game. However, teachers do need an account to create quizzes (Thomas, 2014)

The use of technology has been proven to foster and motivate learning. The fostering and
reinforcement of learning through the use of computers, smartphones and tablets have
improved learners’ engagement and active participation in classrooms. The use of technology

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is also undoubtedly a great assistance to teachers in terms of helping to increase motivation as
well as increase the level of student participation in class (Debbita Tan Ai Lin, Ganapathy,
M. and Manjet Kaur, 2018). According to Nick Pelling in the early 2000s (Pelling, 2011),
‘gamification’ is a form of educational gaming diversity, and has become increasingly
popular and garnered accolade as a means to engage learners across all age groups and
cultures. The influences of learning through play should not be underestimated because as
asserted by Piaget (1962), play is a fundamental element in one’s cognitive development
from birth through to adulthood. Fromberg and Gullo (1992) lent further support to Piaget’s
theory by advocating the enhancement and fostering of language development, social
competence, creativity, imagination and thinking skills through play. Concurrently, Frost
(1992) also stressed that “play is the chief vehicle for the development of imagination and
intelligence, language, social skills, and perceptual-motor abilities” (p. 48). By means of
Vygotsky’s theory in relation to Piaget’s, Vandenberg (1986) postulated that “play does not
only reflect, it also creates thought”. Zichermann and Cunningham (2011) defined
gamification as a process of game-thinking and game mechanicsto engage users and solve
problems. Hence, gamification revolves around captivating and incorporating the essence of
what makes games so engaging into activities to facilitate and motivate learning. In the
context of education, gamification refers to the use of pedagogical systems that are developed
with gaming designs but implemented within non-game contexts (Deterding et al., 2011).

2.3 Kahoot!: An Introduction

Using games for learning is hardly a novelty, but with technological advancements taking
things a step further by transposing them into digital form, it can be highly rewarding for
educators to implement gamification in their classrooms for the purpose of fostering and
reinforcing learning. A free game-based learning platform that resulted from the Lecture Quiz
Research Project initiated in 2006 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology,
Kahoot! aims to make learning fun as well as effective. It can be programmed to suit learners
of all age groups and competency levels, and can be used with many types of digital devices
as long as they are connected to the Internet. Kahoot! possesses elements that are capable of
creating sustained engagement as well as meeting the academic needs of learners in general.
It capitalises on one’s human connection with fellow learners to boost interest and motivate
learning. The embedded graphics and audio elements present a gaming experience that can
potentially promote enjoyment and even excitement. In a comprehensive study on the
effectiveness of Kahoot! as a learning tool, Zarzycka-Piscorz (2016) – having taken into

12
account the dimensions of fun, learning effectiveness, and types of feelings accompanying
the game – reported that Kahoot! induces both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and
promotes learning effectiveness.

2.4 Kahoot!: Gamification for Students’ Motivation and Learning

Zarzycka-Piskorz (2016) underscored that gamified education builds upon motivation,
especially intrinsic motivation that encourages an individual’s engagement. Game-based
learning approaches increase learners’ interest in the subject matter because they enjoy and
experience pleasure as they learn, and thus are more motivated and focused in the subject.
This eventually fosters learning and also results in sustainable learning. According to
Suzanne (2013), gamification is sustainable or is enhanced based on the desire of an
individual to achieve the expected outcome. However, this desire is conditional to the
individual’s sense of excitement. In essence, games in any form have the potential to increase
motivation in the classroom through engagement. Zarzycka-Piskorz (2016) further described
Kahoot! as an online game that promotes both cooperation and autonomy in the classroom.
Kahoot! as a game-based student response system, can be aligned to Thomas Malone’s theory
of intrinsically motivating instructions (Malone, 1980). This theory indicates three categories
that make learning fun: 1) challenge, 2) fantasy and 3) curiosity. As the theory is
contextualised within the classroom learning setting, the second category, fantasy, is
transformed into a game show with the teacher and students playing the role of game host and
competitors respectively. The initial category, challenge, involves the students being
challenged to answer questions and compete against other players. The final category,
curiosity, is displayed via graphics and audio and getting the students to solve cognitive
puzzles. The competitive nature of play among the students in getting the correct answers
compensates for the lack of variety during game play.

Also in learning and teaching process, games play an important role and can contribute much
to education. Activities, tasks, assignments and all elements used during teaching process can
be gamified. This will enhance success if it creates an expected level of motivation. Teachers
support the idea behind gamification because they think that it increases motivation and
creativity among learners. Also, reward and feedback system of gamification increases the
achievement levels of learners. Motivation, curiosity, excitement and joy are the most
important elements of successful learning and teaching. This means all activities that are
gamified can be used as a source of motivation and fun in class. Michos (2017, p. 512)

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explains why gamification should be preferred in language classrooms with the following
items:
• modifies the mood within the classroom;
• increases learners’ feeling of happiness;
• provides breaks from learner’s fatigue;
• increases motivation and improve attention;
• increases student’s engagements in the classroom activities;
• stimulates a goal oriented activity;
• makes learning fun.
Gamification provides lots of opportunities for both learners and teachers. To learn a foreign
language these kinds of activities foster learning, increase the pace of achieving learning
outcome by participating learners in the process actively. It also enables learners to feel in a
relaxed and confident atmosphere in class and this triggers social and communicative skills of
learners that are very necessary while learning a foreign language. That is why the activities
prepared by the teacher should be evaluated and determined carefully. Teachers should keep
in their minds that these kinds of gamified activities should be arranged according to the
needs, level, personality, age, interest of the learners; otherwise these activities lose their
meanings to make the learners reach successful learning and have fun at the same time. When
these characteristics and contributions of games and gamified activities are taken into
consideration, the pedagogical value of them cannot be ignored.

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 CHAPTER 3

3.0 DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This research employs a qualitative approach to address the two stated questions. Qualitative
research approach is relevant to utilise in this study because the phenomenon being studied is
not easily distinguished from the context in which it is observed (Yin 2013). Using an
explorative case study, we intend to unravel complex perceptions and issues relating to the
use of Kahoot! in the context of students’ perception, motivation and learning. This approach
is used to enrich the insights gained from the exploration of the literature and provide deep
levels of interpretation for the phenomenon under consideration. We provide details around
the design of Kahoot!, our sampling and participants and data processing and analysis in the
following subsections.

3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

CASE STUDY
This research employs a qualitative approach which intends to investigate the use of Kahoot!
to motivate ESL students to learn vocabulary. The research is dealing with human interaction
and perspectives hence it is highly encouraged to use qualitative method. It will be more
accurate finding as the interviewees are perceived to give a more honest answers and
opinions through personal interaction with the interviewer.

A single instrumental case study approach has been chosen to investigate a single issue which
is the respondents’ motivation towards learning vocabulary when being involved in a game-
based language activity. This approach is particularly useful to employ when there is a need
to obtain an in-depth appreciation of an issue, event or phenomenon of interest, in its natural
real-life context, contemporary context or setting (Yin, 2009). In this case study, the

15
researcher aims to explore in-depth whether students are motivated to learn vocabulary using
Kahoot! game-based learning.

Three instruments will be developed which are the observation tool and interview questions
respectively. The result of the Kahoot! quiz will be used as part of the document analysis. In
order to collect data, a classroom of 25 students will be chosen. The quiz will be conducted in
one day in class in small groups consists of 3 students in each group. The teacher records the
group interview session while as for the observation session, the researcher as the observer
will write field notes. The observation session will be video recorded to retrieve additional
information. The data collected will be analysed through the description of the case and the
themes of the case.

3.3 INSTRUMENTS
Data collection instruments refer to devices used to collect data such as questionnaires, tests,
structured interview schedules and checklists (Seaman 1991:42). The research instrument is
used to collect information (data) to answer the research questions. In this study, three types
of instruments will be used for data collection purpose. They are interview, observation and
questionnaire.

3.3.1 INTERVIEW
The “interview” is a managed verbal exchange (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003 and Gillham, 2000)
and as such its effectiveness heavily depends in the communication skills of the interviewers
(Clough & Nutbrown, 2007). These include the ability to clearly structure questions (Cohenet
al., 2007); listen attentively (Clough & Nutbrown, 2007); pause, probe or prompt
appropriately (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003); and encourage the interviewee to talk freely, “make it
easy for interviewee to respond” (Clough & Nutbrown, 2007). Interpersonal skills (Opie,
2004) such as the ability to establish rapport, perhaps with humour and humility, are also
important between participants.

Interviews seem popular with qualitative research, mainly because they allow for an in-depth
exploration of feelings and perceptions of participants (Gill et al., 2008). They are helpful
when interviewing second language learners, for example, because the interviewer can adjust

16
the level of language used to engage with or comprehend the views of participants. Other
benefits for having interviews are:
 to probe students’ feelings, perceptions and attitudes about learning vocabulary using game-
based activities.
 to explore mismatches between students’ perceptions and the researcher’s observations,
theories, and practice;
 to evaluate what students need or prefer in terms of learning;
 to understand students’ culture, family and social background, and to explore whether and
how these factors might impact their learning.

In the data collection process, five semi-structured interview will be conducted in groups so
that the students will feel comfortable and confident with the present of their peers when
responding to the interview questions. The interview will be conducted once for both the
research questions at the end of the study, comprising seven groups of three and one with
four students, amounting to 25 students in total. The interviewer has a paper-based interview
guide to follow. The interview questions will be based on the students’ perceptions,
experiences and feelings towards Kahoot! in learning vocabulary.

3.3.2 OBSERVATION
Observation is the process of enabling researchers to learn about the activities of the people
under study in the natural setting through observing and participating in those activities
(DeWALT & DeWALT, 2002). The researcher will observe the students’ involvement and
attitude towards learning vocabulary using Kahoot! during English lessons. The time
allocation for vocabulary class is 1 hour per week. As for the observation, the researcher will
video record the lessons to extract additional information which would have over looked
during the lessons.

As for observation checklist, there will be 10 statements that describe the learning activities
of the students. Rating scale used in describing the teacher activities. There were 4 scales
description; 0 (Teacher does not perform the activity), 1 (Teacher does the activity but does
not do maximally), 2 (Teacher does the activity but quite maximally), 3 (Teacher does the
activity maximally). The observer was asked to choose which scale fits on each activity.

17
Field notes will be recorded by the researcher during or after observation as the students
apply Kahoot in learning. The notes are intended to be read as evidence that gives meaning
and aids in the understanding of how Kahoot! motivates the students in learning. Field notes
allow the researcher to access the subject and record what they observe in an unobtrusive
manner.

3.3.3 QUESTIONNAIRE
Questionnaire will be used to know the students’ responses of the learning process. This is
because questionnaires have some advantages over other data collection methods. In this
questionnaire, the students will be asked to indicate either “yes” or “no” for their answer.
The researcher uses the close-ended type of questions because it is easy for low proficiency
students to understand them. There are a total of 10 questions in this section and all are
related to the students’ perception towards Kahoot! The analysis of the data will help the
researcher to identify students’ perception towards Kahoot! The responses would enable the
researcher to answer research question of the study.

3.4 SAMPLING AND RESEARCH SITE

Nineteen female and six male students who are studying at an urban primary school in Meru,
Ipoh, Perak will participate in this study, as total of 25 participants. The age of the Year 5
students attending the study is 11. This students are chosen in this study because their English
language proficiency is at intermediate level and they are demotivate to learn English due to
lack of interest in learning foreign language.

There are some reasons why the researcher chooses this school as the research object. First,
the researcher’s background has an English language teacher in that school. Therefore, the
researcher has known the ability of the students. Second, research location is near the
researcher’s home so it makes easier for the researcher to execute the research. The study will
be conducted in the Frog Classroom of the school. This particular classroom is a new
infrastructure in the school that fits the 21st century learning classroom with high speed
Internet access, notebooks for each student, computers, speakers, projector and screen. In

18
order to play the game, the teacher will project the prepared quiz in front of the class which
will be accessed from https://getkahoot.com while the students will access the game through
https://kahoot.it/. They only need to enter the Pin Code given by the teacher to play the game.

3.5 RESEARCH PROCEDURES

Research procedure is something, which have been planned to execute research with purpose
to obtain a data. In this study, data will be collected throughout the study. On the first day of
the lesson, the first 10 minutes will be used to explain the quiz to the students. Since the
students already have a previous experience of playing Kahoot!, the instruction will be
emphasized more on the execution of the lesson. The next 45 minutes will be dedicated for
the students to play for Kahoot! Quiz and another 5 minutes will be used to wrap up the
lesson by asking about the students’ perception about the activity for the day. Field notes will
be taken by the researcher before, while and after the process.

The key instrument in this research is interview. Besides, the researcher also will use other
instruments like field notes, observation checklist, and questionnaire. The field notes will be
used to record the activities in the classroom. In field notes, the researcher wrote everything
done in the classroom during 3 months. The observation checklist will be used to know how
far the students participated in the game-based activities as planned in the lesson plan. And
the questionnaire will be used to know the students’ perceptions towards learning vocabulary
using Kahoot! Indeed, all of the instruments used in this study is to find out about students’
motivation in learning English through game-based learning activity. Those instruments have
different roles in determining the outcome of the study. The researcher will record all the
activities done in the classroom from the beginning till the end of lessons.

3.6 DATA ANALYSIS

Students’ responses to the interviews will be transcribed and verified by the researcher, i.e.
verbatim. Thereafter, the analyses of the content will be performed. The researcher will adopt

19
an inductive (bottom-up) approach to content analysis to test whether clear themes relating to
students’ motivation, involvement and learning appeared in the data (Patton 1990). The
procedure involves open coding where the interviews will be read and re-read for
familiarisation and initial codes will identified based on explicit, surface-level semantics in
the data, rather than implicit responses and preconceptions (see Braun and Clarke 2006).
Through axial coding, codes will be recombined, and connections will be formed between
ideas. Then, thematic mapping will be used to restructure specific codes into broader themes.
Finally, following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) selective coding procedure, the resulting
themes will be refined and organised into a coherent, internally consistent account, and a
narrative (“story”) will be developed to accompany each theme. Themes will be extracted
from answers provided in response to interview questions, which targets understandings
around students’ motivation, involvement and learning. The outcomes will be used to answer
the two research questions (RQ1–RQ2).

Secondly, the recorded interview session will transcribed and all significant responses will be
listed down according to the five questions asked during the interview session. Finally, the
data from the observation rubric will be tallied and tabulated. The total tallies for each aspect
and the characteristic (visual and auditory) will be totalled in order to see the students’
attitude and involvement. The duration for gathering all answers for questions and to direct
them, will be recorded through the oral interview and these interviews later saved on the
documents. Afterwards, these qualitative data will be analyzed using Nvivo.

3.7 VALIDATION
According to Creswell (2018), qualitative validity means that the researcher checks for the
accuracy of the findings by employing certain procedures. To ensure the validity of the
findings, the researcher uses multiple validity procedures. The researcher conducted
interview, observation, gathered filed notes, collected written material for document analysis
and study participants’ feedback form.

First step was to triangulate different data sources by examining the evidences from the
sources and use it to justify the themes. Triangulation of methods from semi-structured group

20
interview, observation, feedback form and document analysis were employed in this study to
elicit information form the participants to seek understanding of the phenomena.

Secondly, the researcher use member checking to determine the accuracy of the findings.
Member checking is an integral part of creating trustworthiness in qualitative research
(Creswell & Miller, 2000; Lincoln & Guba, 1986; Stake, 1995). As the researcher tried to
explore the use of I-think maps in writing lesson, he/she conduct the study by analyzing the
case to determine the themes.

3.8 RESEARCH ETHIC

According to Bryman and Bell (2007), research ethic can be defined as research that involves
human subjects or participants raises unique and complex ethical, legal, social, and political
issues. Research ethics specifically deals with the analysis of ethical issues that are raised
when people are involved as participants in research. In another word, research ethics refers
to moral principles or values that generally govern the conduct of an individual or group. A
researcher is fully responsible for his/her profession, participants and institution, and must
adhere to high ethical standards to ensure that both the function and the information are not
brought into disrepute when conducting the research. Letter of consent from the school will
be given by the researcher to the participants’ parents informing them about the purpose and
their children’s involvement in the study. Parents will sign the letter of consent behalf their
children whether they are allowed or not allowed to participate in the study. Furthermore,
they are free to withdraw from participating in the study at any time. In this letter, the
researcher states clearly that the identity of the participants will be kept confidential to avoid
any issues in future. Only the researcher has the accessibility for the participants’ details such
as name, age, gender, name of school and class, so that it does not harm the participants
physically, mentally or psychologically. Apart from that, a letter of permission will be sent to
EPRD MOE and the school principal to get an authorization to conduct the study in the
school.

21
REFERENCES

Siti Uzairiah Mohd Tobi (2016). Qualitative Research, Interview Analysis & Nvivo 11 Exploration.
Kuala Lumpur: ARAS Publisher.

Anderson, J., & Barnett, M. (2011). Using video games to support pre-service elementary teachers
learning of basic physics principles. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(4), 347–362.
doi:10.1007/s10956- 010-9257-0

Suzanne, S. (2013). 4 ways to bring gamification of education to your classroom. Retrieved from
http://blog. tophat.com/4-ways-to-gamify-learning-in-your-classroom/

Zarzycka-Piskorz, E. (2016). Kahoot it or not? Can games be motivating in learning grammar?

Teaching English with Technology, 16(3), 17–36.

Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and
implementation for novice researchers. The Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559. Retrieved
from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR13-4/baxter.pdf

22
APPENDICES

Anderson, J., & Barnett, M. (2011). Using video games to support pre-service elementary teachers
learning of basic physics principles. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 20(4), 347–362.
doi:10.1007/s10956- 010-9257-0

Suzanne, S. (2013). 4 ways to bring gamification of education to your classroom. Retrieved from
http://blog. tophat.com/4-ways-to-gamify-learning-in-your-classroom/

Zarzycka-Piskorz, E. (2016). Kahoot it or not? Can games be motivating in learning grammar?

Teaching English with Technology, 16(3), 17–36.

23
Baxter, P., & Jack, S. (2008). Qualitative case study methodology: Study design and
implementation for novice researchers. The Qualitative Report, 13(4), 544-559.
Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR13-4/baxter.pdf

RQ3. In what ways does the use of Kahoot! influence students’ motivation
towards learning?

CONCLUSION FOR DATA COLLECTION

Field notes, observation, and questionnaires were used in data collection method. Through those
instruments, the researchers got all the data needed. Field notes was the method in gathering the
data to answer the first research questions- how is the implementation of Online Game Kahoot in
teaching reading? The researcher recorded everything done by the teacher started from the
beginning to the end of teaching process. Observation checklist was a method to know how far the
classroom activities fit on the plan. It was used to support the field notes recording. Questionnaire
was used to know the students’ responses about the activities done in the classroom. It answered
the second research questions- how are the students’ responses on the implementation of Online
Game Kahoot? The researchers did it during two weeks. It means the researcher did the research in
two meetings done by the lecture in teaching reading. There are some steps in analyzing the data:
(1) data reduction, in this step the researchers classified some data taken from field notes,
observation, and questionnaire and select them based on the topic of the research. The researchers
also arranged those data based on the research problem, (2) data display, the data were presented
in the form of narration and suited with the research problem, and (3) taking conclusion after the
data were analyzed.

3.5.2 Reliability of the research instrument Reliability refers to the degree of consistency or accuracy
with which an instrument measures the attribute it is designed to measure (Polit & Hungler

24
1997:296; Uys & Basson 1991:75). If a study and its results are reliable, it means that the same
results would be obtained if the study were to be replicated by other researchers using the same
method. A pretest utilising adolescent mothers, excluded from the actual research, with similar
characteristics to the study sample was conducted to determine the clarity of the items and
consistency of the responses. The major anomaly detected was some respondents’ apparent
unfamiliarity with some contraceptive terms in the Zulu language. In order to enhance the reliability
of the instrument the appropriate English terms were added to the Zulu questionnaire to facilitate
the respondents’ comprehension of these terms. 3.5.3 Validity of the research instrument 44
“Validity refers to the degree to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to be measuring”
(Uys & Basson 1991:80). Validity can be sub-categorised as external and internal validity. 3.5.3.1
External validity Burns and Grove (1999:191) describe external validity as “the extent to which the
results can be generalised beyond the sample used in the study”. This usually depends on the degree
to which the sample represents the population. Low external validity in this study implies that the
results can apply only to adolescent mothers visiting well-baby clinics in the Piet Retief (Mkhondo)
area (Burns & Grove 1997:234; Neuman 1997:145). The external validity of this study may have been
compromised by selecting a non-random, convenient sample (of adolescent mothers who happened
to visit one of two designated well-baby clinics during the data-collection phase). There was no
guarantee that the adolescent mothers who visited the clinics had similar knowledge, attitudes and
beliefs regarding contraceptives to those who did not visit the clinics, as this sample was not drawn
randomly, implying that not every adolescent mother in the research population had an equal
chance of being included in the research sample. 3.5.3.2 Internal validity Internal validity is the
extent to which factors influencing adolescent mothers’ non-utilisation of contraceptives are a true
reflection of reality rather than the result of the effects of extraneous or chance variables, not
necessarily related to factors influencing contraceptive non-utilisation.

Field notes, observation, and questionnaires were used in data collection method. Through those
instruments, the researchers got all the data needed. Field notes was the method in gathering the
data to answer the first research questions- how is the implementation of Online Game Kahoot in
teaching reading? The researcher recorded everything done by the teacher started from the
beginning to the end of teaching process. Observation checklist was a method to know how far the
classroom activities fit on the plan. It was used to support the field notes recording. Questionnaire
was used to know the students’ responses about the activities done in the classroom. It answered
the second research questions- how are the students’ responses on the implementation of Online
Game Kahoot? The researchers did it during two weeks. It means the researcher did the research in
two meetings done by the lecture in teaching reading.

25
26
27
Appendix F –

Focus Group Interview Questions

1. Describe your experience with Classcraft? What did/didn’t you like about it?

2. Describe your experience with the other online platforms (Kahoot, Voki, Storybird, etc.) What
did/didn’t you like about it?

3. What skills Classcraft and the other online platforms helped you develop?

4. What motivated you to do the activities?

5. What was challenging about the activities?

6. What helped you focus on the activities?

28
7. How do rewards in Classcraft such as scores, levels and achievements motivated you to learn
English?

8. What elements in Classcraft and the online platforms you perceive as the most essential in
enhancing your motivation? (rules, avatars, scores, levels, rewards (equipments, weapons, skills,
etc.), leaderboard, fun, feedback, etc.)

9. How much fun did you enjoy with Classcraft and the other online platforms?

10. What is the difference between a regular English class and the intervention?

11. Do you have any feedback to make Classcraft better?

Appendix E –

Participant Data Collection Post-experiment Questionnaire

1. I had fun using Classcraft.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

2. I had fun using the online platforms (Voki, Storybird, Kahoot, Goanimate and Socrative).

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

3. How would you rate your experience with Classcraft?

Excellent Good Fair Bad Don’t know

4. How would you rate your experience with the online platforms?

29
Excellent Good Fair Bad Don’t know

5. What online platforms you have enjoyed the most? Voki Storybird Kahoot Socrative

6. I learnt better with Classcraft and the other online platforms.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

7. The content of the activities was meaningful.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

8. The tasks were challenging.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

9. I finished all the required tasks.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

10. What fun aspect you enjoyed the most? Overcome a challenge Enjoy doing the activity
Interaction with the others

11. What element(s) you have enjoyed in Classcraft? Rules Leaderboard Avatars Levels Rewards
(equipments, pets, etc.) 141

12. What element(s) you have enjoyed in the online platforms? Challenges Freedom to fail Feedback
Points

13. How motivated are you to learn English. A lot Average A little Not at all Don’t know

14. I wish I can use Classcraft in my regular English class.

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

Appendix D –

Participant Data Collection Pre-experiment Questionnaire

1. I enjoy taking English courses. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know 2. I
learn more with my student book and the teacher’s worksheets. Strongly agree Agree Disagree
Strongly disagree Don’t know 3. If the activity is interesting, I learn better. Strongly agree Agree
Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know 4. Working on assignments or projects online helps me to be
good in English. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know 5. I like to compete
myself to my colleagues to see how good I am in English. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly
disagree Don’t know 6. I perform better when I work in teams rather than when I am working alone.
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know 7. Do you play video games? Yes No 8.
How long have you been playing video games? Never Less than a month more than a month 6

30
months More than a year 9. With games, I learn better. Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly
disagree Don’t know 10. I feel that winning is important in both school and games Strongly agree
Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know 11. I like to get rewards when I do well in my class.
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

ii) Observations while Playing Kahoot!

Teacher’s Engagement with the Students

As the person introducing the game to the students, the teacher plays a significant role in making
sure the students are acquainted and familiar with the game. The teacher has made the flow of the
game well to her best abilities, by providing internet access to groups who had trouble with internet
access and also by hyping up the groups to try to score the most points. The teacher engages with
the teams by referring them by their team names, often ‘hyping’ them to score better in order to get
their names on the scoreboard, as only 5 teams will be shown after each question. The teacher also
challenges the other teams to beat WBB, who was dominating the quiz for most of the rounds.
These tactics help the students engage with the game even more, as they strive to score better after
every round. A more detailed explanation of the student’s engagement is discussed below. 44 Adlina
Abdul Samad et al.

Student’s Engagement in the Game

The engagement is overall excellent, with the majority of the groups displaying outward expressions
of happiness, anxiousness, and enthusiasm. These expressions were observed through hand
gestures, gasps, whoopings, and physical movement from the group. Some groups were seen to be
vocal, namely So High People and Chips, while some prefer to keep the discussions to themselves,
such as Awesome, WBB and Michafeti. There was a uniform act of huddling for all groups while they

31
answered the quiz as they discussed answers without being overheard. This portrays their
competitiveness in playing the quiz, hence shows how engaged they are in the playing Kahoot! So
High People scored the most in terms of the visual aspects and the auditory aspect, followed by
chips while Awesome scored the lowest on both aspects and the overall total for this category.
Overall the students showed more auditory cues than visual ones when expressing their delight or
dismay and engagement in the game.

Interaction between Group Members

This game is not only a race against other teams, but also a race against time, so the students were
depending on the quick wit of their teammates while trying to not beoverheard by other groups.
Most of the students discussed their answers in a quiet but hurried fashion. Exclamations can be
heard from time to time from the groups, especially after they see the correct answer. There were
also congratulatory yes’s among the members when they got the correct answer. So High People
members were also the ones who used exasperated hand gestures the most, particularly the act of
throwing hands in the air and arm-punching as an expression of how close they were behind the
leading team WBB. One member from WBB had expressed fear to her teammates by saying “Takut”,
as the So High People team was about to overtake their position. One member from Michafeti team
was overheard advising her teammates to speak softly, as their answers might be overheard by
other teams. These interactions showed how interacting with group members does reflect
engagement towards the game. Overall, So High People scored the most in terms of physical cues,
while the quieter team Girlzzz has expressed the most auditory cues, mainly active discussions
between the group members. Their active discussions make up for the lack of physical action, yet it
is still seen as a form of engagement to the game. Both visual and auditory cues were expressed at
the same level for this aspect.

Interaction between Different Groups

The interaction between the groups can be seen when the quiz scores were being compared with
the groups, which happens after every question. Only then will the students, after moments of
silence of answering the questions, break into whoops, gasps and claps. The teacher and the
students would playfully tease the losing group, which was initially blamed by internet connectivity
problems. Some groups were vocal about their celebration or loss, namely So High People and Chips,
and were met with reactions such as sighs from other teams. Interaction is most seen between
teams of close proximity, namely Chips and Michafeti. On one occasion, Michafeti was directly
jeering at their USING GAME-BASED TECHNOLOGY, KAHOOT! FOR CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT 45
direction, and laughter ensued. By then end of the quiz, So High People was victorious, and the
results were met with playful sighs from the other teams and whoops from the winning team. In the
observation, Chips showed the most interactions with other teams, while WBB had showed no
outward interaction with the others. Auditory cues were more prominent than visual cues. Overall,
So High People showed the most engagement through the visual and auditory cues, followed by
Chips, and Girlzzz. Awesome, Michafeti and WBB each garnered the same scores. Auditory cues
were more implemented by the students than visual cues, and it was evident that engagement in
the form of sounds of exclamations and exasperation dominated the room that day.

iii) Post-quiz Interview

32
Observation during the Interview

As the teacher addressed the question to the class as a whole, rather than in their groups, the
formation of groups seemed to dissipate. This can be seen when the students collectively answered
the general questions. The students also seemed to agree with the points made by the respondents,
regardless of the team. Their classmates’ answers were met with nods and affirmative noises such as
‘mmhmm’ and ‘yeahs’. These responses can be seen on questions like why Kahoot! is an enjoyable
game in the classroom and the advantages of the game in the classroom. The responses to the game
are a sign of familiarity with the game. The students, as a whole, nodded and agreed that playing
Kahoot! is a fun and great way to implement language games in the classroom. Towards the end of
the session, the students applauded as the teacher thanked the students for their cooperation,
showing that they are eager and satisfied with the classroom session.

Interview Session

The interview was conducted right after playing Kahoot!. The interviewer, who was also the class
teacher asked three questions. The session was done collectively while everyone was still seated in
their groups as they faced the teacher. For the first question, Respondent 1 raised her hand and
stated that Kahoot! is a good medium for them to enhance their learning as it promoted healthy
competition. This coincides with Omar (2017) in her study which found that Kahoot! helps to attract
students’ attention and motivate their classroom participation. When students are given the
opportunity to compete among each other either individually or in groups, it will give them a sense
of gratification if they get the answers correctly. Moreover, Respondent 2 responded that this
activity promoted unity. This shows that even though the main reason of dividing the students into
groups was due to limited connectivity, it resulted in students feeling united with their team
members to choose the best answer shown in front of the class. Another similar study conducted by
Plump and LaRosa (2017) found that using Kahoot! in the classroom facilitates engagement,
especially when it is played in groups. Respondent 3 stated that this activity helped to release the
stress and tension they were facing, but it was countered by Respondent 2 who said that the limited
time given to answer a particular question aggravated them more. This shows that different students
have different patterns with regards to whether playing a digital game triggers their stress hormone
or rectifies it. Finally, 46 Adlina Abdul Samad et al. Respondent 4 also stated that playing Kahoot!
tested their competency with regards to their vocabularies, particularly whether they know the
synonym for different words. For the second question, the respondents were asked about the
advantages of playing digital games in the classroom. Respondent 5 stated that it improved thinking
and increased their knowledge. Respondent 6 said that it was the best way to learn vocabulary.
Medina and Hurtado (2017) in their study also found that gamification is one of the latest
approaches used to enhance the language skills and Kahoot! is one example that helps facilitate
vocabulary learning. Respondent 7 added that it promoted communication. When students are
required to get into groups and strategies on how to answer all questions correctly, it will initiate
communication among themselves. This was observed during the game session. Moreover, the
communication also traversed between different groups since they were competing to get the
highest marks on Kahoot! When students feel interested to participate and communicate
throughout a class activity, it shows that particular activity helps with the classroom engagement
(Budiati, 2017). The final question required the students’ opinion on the disadvantages of utilizing a
digital game for language learning. They mutually agreed that poor Internet connection was a
challenge. It can be observed that during the game, some students became quite demotivated when
a group was not able to submit their answer due to the loss of connection to the Kahoot! page. This
somehow disturbed the dynamics of the whole class who was excited to answer. Additionally, when

33
the teacher prompted whether or not they would prefer to play it individually in the future, all
disagreed with a loud NO. Respondents 8 and 9 responded by saying that it will decrease
sportsmanship and some students might get confused at the answers and are unable to get
assistance from their classmates when answering.

34