Gamification
Gamification is “the process of applying game elements to non-game contexts” (Zainudden et al., 2020, p. 1). Using this strategy in the classroom can improve student engagement, motivation, and understanding. By turning a regular activity into something more playful and interactive, students are more likely to stay interested and absorb the key concepts being taught.
I’ve adapted a Year 2 mathematics lesson where students are learning to recognise and describe ½, ¼, and ⅛ as equal parts of a whole. The activity I created, called Fraction Frenzy, is a team-based game where groups compete to answer as many fraction related questions as they can within a set time. Points are awarded for correct answers, clear explanations and positive teamwork.
For this task, I created a gamified lesson on fractions, and created an activity called Fraction Frenzy, designed to support Year 2 students in recognising and describing fractions, specifically ½, ¼, and ⅛, through repeated halving. The goal was to make learning fractions more engaging, collaborative, and memorable by incorporating game based elements into a traditionally structured maths lesson.
The lesson was structured as a team challenge, where students worked in small groups to solve as many fraction based problems as possible within a set time limit. A points system was used to reward correct answers, with additional points for strong teamwork and clear explanations up for grabs. A class leaderboard displayed team scores, encouraging friendly competition and giving students a tangible goal to work towards. These gamification elements, points, collaboration and competition, were selected to boost students' motivation, build on collaborative learning, and reinforce key maths concepts in an enjoyable and engaging way.
The activity was designed to maintain a balance between fun and learning. While the game format created excitement, the core learning outcomes remained the focus of the lesson. To ensure educational value wasn’t lost, I structured the questions to gradually increase in complexity and encouraged verbal explanations to consolidate understanding.
One challenge I faced was ensuring that the game was accessible for all learners, especially those who might struggle with the competitive element. To address this, I emphasised teamwork over individual performance and made sure every student had a role in solving the problems. I also ensured the questions were scaffolded to support mixed-ability groups and ensure that each student was bae to add something towards their group, however small.
Ultimately, this task highlighted how gamification can transform a standard lesson into an engaging, inclusive, and student centred learning experience. By making learning feel like a game, it can help tap into students’ natural enthusiasm and curiosity, helping to lay a stronger foundation for learning and understanding.
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