Gamification at University Level: Analysing the Use of Kahoot!, Socrative and Quizlet in the English Studies Degree

Abstract

[eng] With the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), new techniques have been incorporated in the fields of Language Acquisition and Language Teaching and Learning. One of them is gamification, a method that combines game-like mechanisms, promoting learning in a more engagingly and entertainingly manner in non-gaming contexts. This study analyses the frequency with which three gamification apps, Kahoot!, Socrative, and Quizlet are used by students and teachers of English Studies from the University of the Balearic Islands in English Language subjects. Aspects such as their usage in class and outside of it and their usefulness in their learning process of the language are analysed. Moreover, a brief comparison of the usage of these applications in other subjects of the degree is also included. To examine this, an online questionnaire was distributed among thirty-five postgraduates and current students of the previously mentioned degree. Results suggest that gamification is not a very common method used in English Language classes, nor other subjects of this university degree. On the few occasions in which teachers have worked with this type of applications, Kahoot! was the preferred one for them; meanwhile, Quizlet was sometimes used by the students outside the classroom, i.e., for independent study, and Socrative appears to be unknown for both students and teachers.