نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
The use of innovative teaching methods across various academic disciplines has shown beneficial outcomes. This study investigates the impact of using the Jeopardy card game as a new approach to enhance learning in the course Introductory Auditing. The statistical sample consists of 28 students, divided into two groups, 14 in the control group and 14 in the experimental group, during the first semester Faculty of Financial Sciences of Kharazmi University in the first half of the academic year 2023-2024. Both groups were taught by the same University professor, while the experimental group engaged in both traditional instruction and learning through gameplay. Data were collected via a pre-test and a post-test, both multiple-choice and based on the course resource. The results indicate that students in the experimental group achieved significantly higher post-test scores compared to the control group, after removing the effects of the control variables. These findings suggest that the use of educational games can meaningfully enhance learning outcomes. It is recommended that professor of auditing courses consider incorporating gamification into their teaching. The game introduced in this study can be a practical and engaging tool for enhancing students’ learning experience.
1- Introduction
In modern education, the use of gamification as learning tools has gained increasing attention. These methods create an engaging, interactive, and participatory environment that facilitates deeper learning. Educational games, especially in university classrooms, have provided students with more dynamic and interactive learning experiences. One such tool is the Jeopardy card game, which leverages competition and collaboration to enhance understanding of course materials.
The present study investigates the effect of using the Jeopardy card game on students’ learning in the “Introductory Principles of Auditing” course. The game was evaluated as an innovative and active teaching approach compared to traditional instruction methods.
2- Research Questions or Hypotheses
The central research question of this study is:
Does using the Jeopardy card game improve students’ learning in the Principles of Auditing course?
Based on this question, the study developed two main hypotheses:
• (H0): Using the Jeopardy card game has no significant impact on students’ academic performance.
• (H1): Using the Jeopardy card game has a significant positive impact on students’ academic performance.
3- Methods
This study used a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test and included both an experimental and a control group. The sample consisted of 28 undergraduate accounting students at Kharazmi University during the first semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. Students were randomly assigned to two groups of 14.
The experimental group received traditional instruction plus the Jeopardy card game-based learning. The control group received only traditional teaching. Learning outcomes were measured using a standardized multiple-choice test and a questionnaire, based on key topics in the auditing curriculum, such as planning, internal control systems, audit risk, and analytical methods.
The study used SPSS software to perform data analysis through ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance). Control variables including age, gender, employment status, GPA, and marital status were also considered to ensure accuracy and homogeneity between groups.
4- Results
Descriptive data showed an improvement in the experimental group’s average score from 6.71 (pre-test) to 8.71 (post-test). Conversely, the control group showed a slight decrease from 6.79 to 6.07. The tests consisted of 17 questions, with 0 as the minimum and 17 as the maximum possible score.
The ANCOVA test revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups. The F-value was 5.286, and the p-value was 0.03, which is below the 0.05 significance threshold. This indicates that the use of the Jeopardy card game significantly improved student learning.
All statistical assumptions—including normality, homogeneity of variances, and homogeneity of regression slopes—were verified and met, validating the integrity of the analysis.
5- Discussion and Conclusion
The findings of this study clearly show that using the Jeopardy card game as a teaching aid significantly enhances student learning outcomes in the Principles of Auditing1 course. Students who participated in the game-based instruction performed better than those who only experienced traditional teaching.
According to Flow Theory, learners become deeply immersed in enjoyable and engaging activities. Students in the experimental group not only showed higher academic performance but also reported greater motivation and enjoyment from the learning experience, as reflected in post-course surveys.
These findings align with previous international research, such as those conducted by Nitkin (2011), Mat dangi et al (2017), and Simkin (2005), which emphasize the educational benefits of game-based learning. Unlike earlier local studies, this research uniquely applied a PowerPoint-implemented Jeopardy card game in an Iranian university setting, making it one of the first of its kind.
Despite global recognition of innovative teaching tools, such as digital or board games, traditional lecture-based methods still dominate in Iran. Even PowerPoint presentations, although common, are rarely used creatively in a way that fosters active participation.
Given the increasing accessibility of digital tools and the technological familiarity of today’s students, integrating engaging and competitive educational games into the classroom seems both necessary and feasible. Particularly in non-numerical courses like auditing, where problem-solving is more abstract, games can help students become active participants rather than passive listeners.
In conclusion, this study highlights that the Jeopardy card game is a simple, cost-effective, and impactful teaching tool. It enhances students’ learning, motivation, and engagement, making it a valuable addition to modern teaching strategies in higher education.
کلیدواژهها English
37. Gini, F., Bassanelli, S., Bonetti, F., Mogavi, R. H., Bucchiarione, A & Marconi, A .(2025). The role and scope of gamification in education: A scientometric literature review. Acta Psychologica, 259 (105418): 1-16.
38. Grabowski, J. J., Price, M. L. (2003). Simple html templates for creating science oriented jeopardy! Games for active learning. Journal of chemical education, 80(8): 967.
39. Grady, S. E., Vest k. M., & Todd, D. J. (2013). Student attitudes toward the use of games to promote learning in the large classroom setting. Journal of Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning, 5(4): 263-268.
45. James, A., Smith, B., & Clark, C. (2018). The impact of educational games on student engagement and learning outcomes. Journal of Educational Technology, 35(2), 123-135.
46. Jirasevijinda , T., Brown, I. C. (2010). Jeopardy: an innovative approach to teach psychosocial aspects of pediatrics. Patient education and counseling, 80(3): 333-336.
47. Katherine, L., Smith, J., & Brown, M. (2019). Interactive games in financial management education: Enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Journal of Educational Technology, 35(2), 123-138.
48. Kelly, P. W. (2002). Using the jeopardy game show to enhance health knowledge retention. American journal of health education, 33(5): 304-306.
63. Rotter, K. (2004). Modifying ‘jeopardy’ games to benefit all students. Journal of Teaching exceptional children, 36(3): 66-74.
64. Robinson, P. (2017). The impact of educational games on long-term memory and recall abilities. International Journal of Learning Sciences, 24(4), 456-472.
65. Rostejnská , M. Klimová, H. (2011). Biochemistry games: az-quiz and jeopardy. Journal of chemical education, 88(4): 432-433.
73. Siko, J., Barbour, M. & Toker, S. (2011). Beyond jeopardy and lectures: using microsoft powerpoint as a game de-sign tool to teach science. Journal of computers in mathematics & science teaching, 30(3): 303-320.