- May 13, 2026
- Posted by:
- Category: Abstract of 9th-etconf
Abstract Book of the 9th World Conference on Education and Teaching
Year: 2026
[PDF]
Gamification in Action: a Kahoot-based Approach to Co-curricular Engagement
Dr. Thushangi Pathiraja
ABSTRACT:
Gamification is widely used in classroom instruction, but evidence for structured co-curricular implementations remains limited. This study evaluated a voluntary Anatomy Trivia Challenge in Fall 2025 at a U.S. community college serving diverse STEM learners. Designed to support Anatomy and Physiology I and II review, the Kahoot!-based event featured five themed rounds and a grand finale, emphasizing retrieval practice, rapid recall, and peer interaction. A post-event anonymous survey assessed student experience, reinforcement of anatomical concepts, confidence, perceived difficulty, and memorable rounds. Of 40 participants, 36 completed the survey (90% response rate). Overall experience was rated Excellent (86.1%) or Good (13.9%). Most students reported reinforcement of anatomy concepts (63.9% Excellent, 27.8% Good) and increased confidence (36.1% Excellent, 47.2% Good). Difficulty was considered appropriate by 86.1% of respondents. The most memorable rounds were Human Calculator (30.6%), Word Wizard (27.8%), and Anatomy Explorer (22.2%). Qualitative feedback highlighted an energetic, motivating environment, with suggestions for closer alignment with current course topics and reduced time pressure. Findings suggest low-cost gamified co-curricular activities can extend active learning beyond the classroom while fostering engagement and community connection. Limitations include self-reported data and a single-institution sample. Future research will compare co-curricular trivia with classroom active-learning approaches to explore complementary engagement pathways and provide empirical evidence for scalable gamified activities in higher education.
Keywords: Anatomy Education; Gamebased-Based Learning; Peer Interaction; Retrieval Practice; Student Motivation