Gamification, defined as the application of game-like elements to non-game contexts, is an increasingly popular feature in KS3/4 maths classrooms. One of the most successful multi-subject platforms, Kahoot, was valued at $1.7 billion in 2021, and many other educational gaming platforms generate substantial revenue. Their success reflects a widespread belief that gamification enhances engagement and motivation. But does increased engagement necessarily translate to deeper learning, or does it instead create a reliance on extrinsic motivation?
A core concern with gamified learning is that it shifts student motivation from intrinsic to extrinsic rewards. While gamification can be a powerful tool in the short term, research suggests that reliance on external rewards can undermine long-term engagement. In Nudge, Richard Thaler discusses an initiative in a Texas school district where students were paid every time they finished reading a book. The results? Students gravitated toward shorter books to maximise their rewards, and often abandoned reading altogether once the incentive was removed. In the end, students read for the reward, not for the joy of reading. The key point? Ideally, the true reward of learning should be the appreciation of new concepts and the accumulation of knowledge.
A reasonable counterargument is that gamification is not intended to cultivate deep thinking. Instead, it is primarily a tool for reinforcing recall, fluency, and basic procedural skills. In this respect, it can be effective: rapid recall and repeated exposure can have a place in the learning of mathematics. This trend, however, must also be considered in the broader context of increasing screen dependence. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt has explored the damaging effects of excessive social media use, and I predict that in the years ahead, primary schools will have to address the symptoms of excessive device use. This issue extends beyond social media; as more parents rely on screens to occupy toddlers and young children, a dependence on digital engagement is being fostered earlier in life.
If extrinsic rewards can shape how students perceive learning, the same applies to punishment. I have worked with multiple Heads of Departments who explicitly prohibited learners from completing maths work during detentions, to avoid reinforcing the idea that maths was a punishment. The key point? Maths should never be framed as a consequence for bad behavior.
Beyond education, what happens when a generation grows up conditioned to seek engagement primarily through screens? How will this shape our cultural, social, and economic landscapes? These are questions we may not yet fully appreciate, but will soon have to confront.
Another blog post coming soon.
George Bowman
Founder, Maths Advance
MATHS ADVANCE BLOG 
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