Competition is a common tool in video games and esports and is often seen as a potential motivator in education. However, competition in the classroom is a double-edged sword.
On one side, leaderboards and rankings can ignite students’ drive to learn, making education more engaging. But there’s a risk. Students might shift focus from true learning to merely boosting scores, bypassing challenging tasks out of fear of losing points. This mentality can lead to an unhealthy learning environment where low performers may feel demotivated.
It’s crucial to balance competition with the concept of ‘productive struggle’. Instead of fearing mistakes, students should see them as opportunities for growth and learning. After all, education aims not to outscore each other but to cultivate individuals who continuously learn and grow. Can game-based learning help us achieve this goal and make the competition in the classroom a positive force?
#Education #GameBasedLearning #ClassroomCompetition #ProductiveStruggle
