Digital Classroom Management and Learning Innovation: The Synergy of Kahoot and Project-Based Learning In Language Instruction

Abstract

Effective digital classroom management and pedagogical innovation are pivotal in addressing student passivity and optimizing learning outcomes in modern education. This study investigates the management and pedagogical synergy of integrating a gamified digital tool (Kahoot) with Project-Based Learning (PjBL) in managing classroom dynamics, student engagement, and grammatical competence (focusing on conditional sentence type 1). A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, involving 68 eleventh-grade Tahfidz Program students at SMA Swasta Budi Agung Medan selected through total sampling. Quantitative data obtained from pre-test and post-test scores were analyzed using independent sample t-tests in SPSS, while qualitative data concerning classroom management dynamics and multidimensional engagement were gathered through structured observations and analyzed using the interactive model of Miles et al. (2014). The findings revealed that the experimental class achieved a significant increase in mean score from 65 to 72, whereas the control class showed a slight decline from 62 to 60. The independent sample t-test yielded a significant value of p = 0.004 < 0.05, confirming a statistically significant impact of the Kahoot-PjBL management model. Qualitatively, the experimental class exhibited superior behavioral compliance, cognitive participation, and emotional engagement compared to the conventionally managed control class. The study concludes that the strategic synergy of Kahoot and PjBL offers an effective framework for digital classroom management, transforming passive instructional environments into interactive, data-informed, and student-centered learning ecosystems.