Leveraging Longitudinal Gamified Assessment Data to Identify and Resolve Conceptual Thresholds in Undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology

Abstract

Objective: This study evaluates the efficacy of gamified formative assessment (Kahoot!) [1] in identifying persistent student misconceptions and measuring the impact of data-driven instructional interventions—including weekly study guides, clinical concept mapping, and step-by-step ECG interpretation protocols—across multiple academic terms

Methods: Longitudinal data were collected from weekly quizzes in an undergraduate Human Anatomy and Physiology course. Analysis compared two cohorts: Year 1 (n=56 unique attempts) and Year 2 (n=97 unique attempts). Metrics included mean class accuracy, item-level difficulty, and student engagement (participation reach and response fluency). Statistical significance was determined by using independent samples t-tests.

Results: Overall mastery increased significantly between years. Muscular System accuracy rose from 67.9% to 87.8% (p<0.001), and Blood & Hemostasis rose from 73.3% to 84.4% (p=0.059). Item-level analysis identified "Persistent Red Zones" in complex functional logic (e.g., Aspirin’s mechanism), while targeted interventions for clotting synthesis and muscle organization resulted in mastery gains exceeding 40%. Despite a 173% increase in student participation during Year 2, response speeds remained stable or improved, indicating high scalability and cognitive fluency.

Conclusion: Results indicate that longitudinal tracking [2] of gamified data allows educators to distinguish between stable mastery and "threshold concepts" [3] requiring pedagogical pivot. While general engagement remains high as cohort size increases, specific cognitive traps (e.g., pharmacological mechanisms) persist, suggesting that gamification [4] is most valuable as a real-time diagnostic for refining instructional delivery and resolving deeply rooted misconceptions.