College Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Kahoot to Learn Vocabulary in a Second Language: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to discover college students’ perceptions of their lived experiences as they learn vocabulary in a second language with Kahoot. The self-efficacy theory of motivation (Bandura, 1995) provided the theoretical framework. The central question in this research was What are college students’ perception of their experiences using Kahoot to learn vocabulary in a second language? This study took place at Maleki College in Arizona. The study sought to understand second-language college students’ motivation when learning vocabulary. The data for this study was derive from individual interviews recorded on a computer, two questionnaires, and direct observations. One questionnaire was provided at the beginning of the research and one in the middle of the project. Direct observations were conducted throughout the investigation project and the researcher’s impressions were recorded in the research journal. The study sought to follow the thematic analysis approach of coding and theme naming to understand the phenomenon of college students’ perceptions of their experiences when learning vocabulary using Kahoot. Based on the participants’ opinions, second language college students can improve their vocabulary skills by preparing an activity using the online learning tool Kahoot. Not all the participants enjoyed competition; however, all of them seemed to gain knowledge when preparing their own Kahoot activity.