Iranian Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance

Iranian Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance

The Effectiveness of Kahoot! Game in Teaching Accounting Principles Course on Students' Quantitative and Qualitative Academic Performance

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Mahdi Bozorg 1
Zohreh Arefmaesh 2
Ahmad Zandvanian 3
1 Finance-Financial Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
2 Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Economics, Management, and Accounting, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
3 Department of Education, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.
10.22067/ijaaf.2026.48263.1634
Abstract
This study investigates the use of the educational technology tool Kahoot! in Accounting Principles II within a quasi-experimental design, addressing limited empirical evidence regarding students’ perceptual and performance-related responses to such tools in accounting education. Although various digital platforms have been explored in higher education, the documented effects of these platforms on students’ perceptions and performance in accounting courses remain relatively limited. Here, we extended this evidence by dissociating perceptual and performance-related measures. This study involves 63 undergraduate accounting and financial management students from Yazd University, who were divided into two groups: an experimental group that used Kahoot! for in-class exercises and assessments, and a control group that completed similar activities on paper. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS 27, with ANCOVA, MANCOVA, and a one-sample t-test used. Students in the experimental groups shared positive beliefs about motivation, enjoyment, collaboration, and classroom engagement. Yet when academic performance between the two waves was statistically controlled for baseline achievement, no statistically significant differences were found; initial within-group nominal differences in some classroom tests failed to survive Bonferroni adjustments. Because of the quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent groups, modest sample size, and low statistical power, these findings reflect observed associations rather than causal relationships and must be interpreted with caution. Overall, while Kahoot! While practicing at home may allow for a much more dynamic classroom experience, we cannot be certain whether it impacted their test performance. This study offers a timeline-based framework to inform future research on the pedagogical use of digital instructional tools in accounting education.
Keywords
Accounting Education
Educational Technology
Game-based Learning
Gamification
Kahoot
Subjects
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