Over-gamification is Exactly Why EdTech Failed
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When we were kids, learning and play were worlds apart. School ended by 2 p.m., followed by outdoor play time. But the pandemic and rise of e-learning brought a new trend, gamification. It promised to make screen time engaging and learning more holistic by merging fun, interactivity, and progress tracking into the learning process. And it makes logical sense, let learning be like play! Everyone wins! Yet, despite good intentions, most have gotten it wrong. Instead of deep learning, gamification created a flashy reward system with no real substance.
The Pitfall of Shallow Engagement
We realise gamification was intended to enhance learning, but it has often turned education into a race for instant rewards, where kids focus more on collecting points than mastering concepts. Much like any game, these learning platforms push children to simply pass levels and chase rewards, racing against time rather than truly understanding the material.
While we can measure the levels, the times, or even the points scored by a child, can we truly measure learning? Rewards for completing tasks only create an illusion of progress without any actual learning. And what does that lead to? A lot of screen time, engagement, a few shiny badges, but no real skills.
Real Power of Gamification
True gamification is about scaffolding the learning experience so that each step is meaningful. It’s not about how many levels you’ve completed or how many badges you’ve earned. It’s about mastering each concept and building a foundation that lasts.
When done correctly, it boosts motivation and focus, brings in competitiveness, reduces anxiety, and can even increase retention. Apart from time and correct answers, many metrics can be focused on, such as speed, accuracy rate, topic-based mastery, time spent on specific questions, and even learning retention. Assessments at these levels can truly help a parent better understand their child’s learning journey.
Breaking the Instant Gratification Cycle
The biggest mistake many platforms made was focusing on instant gratification of kids through a quick reward system: a point here, a level-up there. This makes kids feel like they are making progress. But in reality, they chased a superficial goal.
So the need of the hour is a paradigm shift in what is assessed in learning and how rewards are granted. It can transform the relationship between instant gratification and motivation. By tying rewards to true mastery of concepts, rather than just immediate transaction, the focus of the game shifts.
Kids will no longer be chasing superficial goals or very short gratification; instead, they’ll be working towards genuinely understanding and mastering concepts. This shift makes the rewards feel more meaningful and motivating, encouraging a deeper commitment to learning. This will also empower kids by pushing them to go head-on and solve a problem in the real world.
However, to go even further, we need to rethink how motivation actually works. We need to extend the gratification cycle through challenges that take time and reflection. This would help students develop the patience and problem-solving mindset that the real world demands. So we need to design experiences that nurture persistence, curiosity, and multi-level thinking.
Conclusion: The Shift We Need in EdTech
Gamification isn’t inherently bad, but when misused, it becomes a distraction from the real goal of education: teaching kids to think critically, solve problems with second-order thinking, and build confidence through true mastery. Bhanzu’s approach challenges the dominant narrative of gamification, offering a more thoughtful and sustainable path forward, one where engagement leads to real learning, not just the illusion of it. It’s time to reimagine gamification for the future of education.
Views are personal
Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash, Founder & CEO, Bhanzu
