Kahoot! Impact: How to create engaging learning moments that last

"Kahoot! is a fun game that helps me learn."

"Kahoot! is a fun way to learn."

These are words of the students from the Hills Grammar School , and they echo what educators hear in classrooms all over the world. The word students reach for most often when describing this kind of learning is "fun." While fun can mean many different things, real engagement is a blend of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral participation .

The critical question for educators, then, is how do we build a bridge from that initial spark of fun to deep, sustainable engagement that goes beyond the digital tool into the classroom culture? It starts by creating what we call Engaging Learning Moments.

A compelling answer comes from a recent study that put this exact question to the test, revealing a clear model for how this "cycle of learning" works in practice.

The virtuous cycle in action

A 2025 study conducted at the Universidad Politécnica of Madrid, with university-level engineering students provides an interesting model. Researchers used Kahoot! to engage students in a required business course - a classic pedagogical challenge. They wanted to know if students using Kahoot! were attaining higher grades compared to non-participating peers, and if there was a correlation between students' scores in Kahoot! games and their final exam grades.

The results showed how an initial moment of engagement could spark a self-sustaining learning cycle. The study observed increased participation alongside reports of enjoyment when Kahoot! was used, which supported a feeling of competence. The study ultimately showed that students in the course using Kahoot! achieved higher final exam scores.

This isn't an isolated case. A similar study with business administration students found that implementing a weekly Kahoot! game also led to significantly higher engagement and better performance on the final exam. This shows that whether a kahoot game is used as a post-lecture review, or weekly check-up, the virtuous cycle holds true: playful learning sparks a chain reaction that leads to deeper engagement and stronger academic outcomes.

The virtuous cycle in action: A spark of playful learning builds competence and motivation, creating a self-sustaining loop of deep engagement.

The science behind "fun"

That "fun" students are having while playing kahoots together isn't an accident; it's the result of satisfying core psychological needs. Self-determination Theory (SDT) , a foundational theory of motivation, explains that we are all driven by innate needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness.

The joy of a correct answer satisfies our need for competence. The feeling of control over our own responses fulfills our need for autonomy , and the shared experience of playing with classmates strengthens our sense of relatedness .

When educators create learning opportunities where students can meet these needs, we are not just making learning fun; we are creating the ideal conditions for a self-perpetuating cycle of motivation and engagement.

The role of formative assessment

For the cycle to lead to meaningful learning, it needs an engine. That engine is formative assessment. It's the mechanism that ensures the experience is academically rigorous and not just a game. The instant feedback from a kahoot transforms it into a learning event, allowing students to confront misconceptions in real-time and providing educators with the insights needed to adapt their teaching. This is what guarantees the cycle moves from simple fun to focused learning.

Keeping the cycle spinning

This virtuous cycle is powerful, but it can be fragile. To keep it spinning, educators should foster a positive and supportive climate. If the pressure becomes too high, the fear of failure can break the cycle. By using tools in a low-stakes environment where mistakes are framed as learning opportunities, we help students build resilience and ensure the experience remains productive and encouraging for every student.

So when a student says Kahoot! "is a fun way to learn," they are saying more than they know. They are describing an Engaging Learning Moment - the feeling of competence, the freedom of autonomy, and the joy of connection - a virtuous cycle in action. By creating these moments that spark this cycle, we move beyond simple participation and begin to build a classroom culture where motivation is intrinsic, learning is sustainable, and every student feels empowered. The cycle doesn't just lead to better exam scores; it supports building confident, lifelong learners ready to take on the next challenge.