In several African countries, the problem of student motivation and engagement is reflected in a need to go beyond the “chalk-and-talk” style that has been in use for decades to achieve robust engagement in young minds. One of the techniques identified is gamification, or the process of integrating gaming elements in non-game contexts to create immersive and interactive experiences.
“In South Africa, learners spend a lot of time on their phones after school. We want to make ourselves part of that attention by prioritizing our interface with nice pop-ups. In case a learner did not comprehend much in class, then instead of spending time on social media, that time can be used to challenge each other out of the classroom,” says Masae.
In some African countries where technology penetration is a challenge, teachers have employed such gamification concepts to teach complex subjects with ease. During the May 2024 edition of EdTech Mondays, two children below the age of 10 used the widely publicized balloon-skewer test to show how air molecules in a balloon hold up even when the balloon is poked from top to bottom where the polymers are least stretched.
At 9ija Kids, Adewusi says this works by highlighting the positive aspects of using the internet for gamification purposes “since we all delve into things that we enjoy.” “Most schools in Africa are not equal in terms of class sizes and the number of teachers. We need to work with education partners, including the Mastercard Foundation, to improve learning infrastructure. Education being a social good, all need to be on the same level in terms of access,” says Shiundu.