Our recent study, conducted across two Danish schools, highlights the significant impact of competitive gamification on students’ learning outcomes.
After a 10-day competition using our platform, students demonstrated an impressive 22.8% improvement in their math scores.
This article delves into the methodology and results of our study, underscoring the learning supporting potential of our platform.
Study Overview
The study involved 87 students aged 10-12 from two schools, referred to as School A and School B. Each school had two participating classes: Class A1 and Class A2 in School A, and Class B1 and Class B2 in School B. The students were in grades 5 and 6.
The study was conducted in three phases, referred to as T1, T2, and T3, to measure students’ performance in fractions at different times. The students were presented with a test in fractions at all 3 times. These tests were custom-made for the study and based on existing math learning material, with randomized questions to ensure consistent difficulty. The maximum score on the test was 345 points and the highest achieved score from a student during the study was 332 thus eliminating the ceiling effect in the study.
Methodology
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Baseline Testing (T1):
At the beginning of the study, Class A1 was tested on fractions to establish a control baseline.
The average score was 140.7.
- Second Testing (T2): In the second phase, all four classes (A1, A2, B1, B2) were tested on a set of fraction problems that were new to them. The overall average score was 124.9 (with Class A1 scoring an average of 129.9 – declining from 140.7 at T1). This phase was crucial for understanding performance trends without the gamified intervention, showing a decline in Class A1’s performance by 6%.
- Competition Phase: Following T2, the study introduced a 10-day competition on the Planet Peanut platform. Classes A1 and A2 competed against each other, while classes B1 and B2 did the same. The problems during the competition were multiple-choice and centered around fractions. Students’ points were pooled into their respective class totals, aiming to enhance engagement and motivation in a class versus class setting.
- Final Testing (T3): After the competition, all classes were tested again with a new set of fraction problems. The overall average score was 145.7, with Class A1 averaging 148.4. The results showed a remarkable improvement, with students scoring 22.8% higher on average compared to their T2 scores.
Results
The study’s findings are compelling:
- Decline in Control Group: Class A1’s scores declined by 6% from T1 to T2, with their average dropping from 140.7 to 129.9 indicating a drop in performance without the gamified intervention.
- Significant Improvement Post-Competition: After the 10-day competition, all classes demonstrated a substantial increase in their scores. The overall average score rose to 145.7 with Class A1 scoring an average of 148.4. This represents an average improvement of 22.8% from T2.
These results underscore the effectiveness of our gamified learning platform in enhancing students’ mathematical abilities through friendly competition and collaborative problem-solving.
Discussion
The improvement in students’ scores post-competition highlights the motivational power of gamification. Teachers reported that they were pleasantly surprised by how much fun the students found the platform, which significantly contributed to their engagement and learning. Although we did not measure engagement metrics during the competition, the qualitative feedback indicates a positive reception and increased motivation and curiosity among students.
The similarity in improvements between the two schools, despite one school using some class teaching on the fraction topic and the other not, suggests that the gamified approach is effective regardless of additional classroom instruction. This finding supports the idea that our platform can serve as a valuable supplement to traditional teaching methods.
Conclusion
Our study at Planet Peanut demonstrates that integrating competition and gamification into the learning process can lead to substantial improvements in students’ academic performance. The platform is free to download on Android and iOS, making it accessible and easy to use. We are excited about the potential of our platform to transform math education and look forward to conducting further research to explore its impact on other areas of learning in the next school year.
Future Directions
We plan to expand our studies to include more schools and different subjects in the upcoming school year. Additionally, follow-up studies will be conducted to assess the long-term impact of the gamified learning approach on student performance. Ensuring rigorous test protocols and maintaining the same conditions for all tests will continue to be a priority to uphold the validity of our findings.
If you are a researcher, teacher or principal and wishes to get involved in our future studies please reach out to Frederik from Planet Peanut at frederik@planetpeanut.io
