Implementing Kahoot! for Japanese Language Learning in Indonesian High School

Abstract

Kahoot! is an individual and collaborative gamified learning platform that encourages curiosity, promotes lifelong learning, and makes learning enjoyable. Given the numerous advantages of using Kahoot! in language acquisition, several academic institutions have included gamification to enhance their learning experience. However, there are always issues and hurdles encountered throughout technology deployment. The present study aimed to analyze how the teacher implements Kahoot! in Japanese learning, the Indonesian high school teachers and students' perceptions of using Kahoot! and the constraints they encountered in using Kahoot! The study was designed as qualitative research, enrolling one Japanese language teacher and 34 students in a state senior high school. Semi-structured interviews, non-participatory observation, and a mixed questionnaire were used to collect data. Despite specific problems in the teacher's implementation of Kahoot!, the research indicated that both the teacher and the students had an "excellent" impression of the platform, with a poor internet connection being recognized as the biggest stumbling block to their utilizing Kahoot! efficiently. While Kahoot! may be a realistic alternative for inspiring high school students to learn Japanese, it requires a solid internet connection to guarantee that the learning process runs well.

Benefits of online learning according to recent studies

“…In the context of online learning, these discussions can be challenging for students without sufficient digital devices, unstable & unaffordable internet connection, and low motivation (Artini et al, 2020;Dantes, Audina et al, 2022;Dantes, Rinawati, et al, 2022;Purwanti et al, 2022;Suwastini, Nalantha, et al, 2021). Meanwhile, low-motivated students can easily evade collaborative discussions by pinning a lousy internet connection or device error as their excuses (Dantes, Rinawati et al, 2022;Eva et al, 2022;Suwastini, Nalantha et al, 2021). Dwiyanti &Ersani et al (2021) suggested that detailed feedback could motivate students to participate more.…”

“…They could use various online platforms beyond the classroom for autonomous learning (Dincer, 2020;Hazaymeh, 2021;Saputra et al, 2021;Putra, 2021;Rahmayanti et al, 2021). Online learning also allows the teacher to integrate technology tools to boost the learners' autonomy, such as blogging and online quizzes (Eva et al, 2022;Lee, 2016;Matsubara & Yoshida, 2018). In this case, the learners select their learning strategy, access the materials, and find the sources independently outside class time.…”

Improving Students’ Motivation in Learning English through Gamification

“…This shows that games are able to build up intrinsic motivation that comes from within a person. By using gamificationincorporating games into an educational contextstudents will not only enjoy the process of learning, but also improve their performance as a form of increased motivation (Adnyani et al, 2022;Kalogiannakis & Papadakis, 2019). By being aware of the facts concerning students' motivation in learning and teaching process in the COVID-19 pandemic, this study aims to improve students' motivation in learning English through gamification in online learning settings.…”