The Impact of Reward Types and Leaderboard Use in Kahoot-Based Learning: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background: Motivation plays a critical role in student engagement and learning outcomes. However, limited research has compared the effects of tangible versus intangible rewards in game-based learning environments. This study aimed to investigate the comparative effects of tangible and intangible rewards on students’ motivation and engagement when using the Kahoot platform for mathematics education.Methods: This study utilized a quasi-experimental approach with pre-test and post-test assessments, conducted among 277 elementary students between September 2020 and June 2021. Using convenience sampling, participants were assigned to three groups: a control group (95 students), an experimental group using Kahoot with intangible rewards (90 students), and a second experimental group using Kahoot with both tangible and intangible rewards (92 students). The intervention was carried out over a six-week period. Content validity was confirmed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR), with all items exceeding 0.80 and an overall agreement coefficient of 0.84. The reliability was verified with a test–retest correlation of 0.70.Results: The comparative analysis revealed that Kahoot-based learning was more effective than social network-based instruction. Furthermore, the group that received both tangible and intangible rewards demonstrated significantly greater learning gains compared to those who received only intangible rewards (p<0.05).Conclusion: The findings support the use of gamified platforms such as Kahoot to enhance mathematics learning, particularly when leaderboard-based reward strategies are employed. Future research should investigate the long-term effects of different reward types and their influence on sustaining student motivation.