From passive to active: Examining the pedagogical effectiveness of Kahoot! in undergraduate management accounting education

I Gusti Ary Suryawathy (Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar)
Liem Gai Sin (Association of International Business and Professional Management)
I Gede Cahyadi Putra (Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar)
Ni Putu Yuria Mendra (Universitas Mahasaraswati Denpasar)

International Journal of Accounting & Finance in Asia Pasific
Vol 9, No 3 (2026): October 2026

Traditional lecture-based teaching often fails to foster active student engagement in management accounting education, resulting in diminished motivation and superficial conceptual understanding. This study examines the pedagogical effectiveness of integrating Kahoot! as a technology-embedded learning platform in an undergraduate management accounting course at an Indonesian university. Specifically, it investigates changes in student engagement and perceived academic performance before and after Kahoot! integration. A quantitative quasi-experimental within-subjects design was employed with 153 students over one academic semester. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. The findings revealed statistically significant and large improvements in both student engagement (Z = -10.797, p 0.001, r = 0.87) and perceived academic performance (Z = -10.541, p 0.001, r = 0.85). This study contributes theoretically by extending the application of active learning theory to a management accounting context in a developing economy. Practically, the findings offer evidence-based guidance for accounting educators seeking to design technology-embedded learning environments that are effective, inclusive, and student-centered