The power of gamification

Abstract

Zilong Pan, Jiayan Zhu, and Jennifer Kling explored the relationship between gamification platform usage and elementary students’ math performance across 60 schools using a gamification program. Schools were grouped by high and low usage levels, and student performance was compared in grades three, four, and five. Findings revealed significantly higher math scores in grades three and four for students in high-usage schools, with strong effect sizes, suggesting gamification is particularly effective for foundational math skills. In grade five, results were less pronounced, indicating a potential need to adjust gamification strategies for older learners. These results highlight the potential of game-based learning to support math achievement, especially in early grades, and suggest directions for refining its use in upper elementary education.