Kids can do 50% of an ENTIRE GRADE LEVEL in TWO WEEKS.
The best educators in America think the key to increased learning efficiency is to make the content super engaging, but that’s totally wrong.
It’s WAY easier than that.
The best educators in America think the key to increased learning efficiency is to make the content super engaging, but that’s totally wrong.
It’s WAY easier than that.
So what’s the secret? Give your kid what they actually want.
If you sit down with your kid and ask them to name things they want, I can guarantee you “for school to be more engaging” won’t make the list.
If you sit down with your kid and ask them to name things they want, I can guarantee you “for school to be more engaging” won’t make the list.
But, as a recent former kid myself (I just turned 18!), I can tell you things they do want: money, time with friends, winning something.
So why doesn’t our education system use this more?
So why doesn’t our education system use this more?
Over the last two weeks, @AlphaSchoolATX tested this out by holding both a Language Arts and a History tournament for the students.
Here’s how it worked:
Here’s how it worked:
The tournament used a bracket format – whoever completed the most lessons in IXL won their round.
In these single-elimination style tournaments, students competed head-to-head with the winners advancing each round until an overall champion was crowned.
In these single-elimination style tournaments, students competed head-to-head with the winners advancing each round until an overall champion was crowned.
The prize? Cash.
The competitors? Students versus their friends (and some “bots” just to make things interesting!)
The results? You’re going to be shocked.
The competitors? Students versus their friends (and some “bots” just to make things interesting!)
The results? You’re going to be shocked.
Students went from taking 21 minutes to complete a lesson to just 14 – a decrease in time of almost 70%.
Each lesson had to be completed to 100% mastery to count towards the tournament, so they had to actually learn the material.
Each lesson had to be completed to 100% mastery to count towards the tournament, so they had to actually learn the material.
And, students completed over TWO TIMES the number of lessons in history than they did before the tournament.
Language was even crazier, with over THREE TIMES the number of lessons mastered.
With these stats, it’s no surprise that students were able to complete, on average, 25-50% of an ENTIRE GRADE LEVEL in just these two weeks.
With these stats, it’s no surprise that students were able to complete, on average, 25-50% of an ENTIRE GRADE LEVEL in just these two weeks.
IXL is a boring app, and we certainly didn’t do anything to make it “more engaging.” So why did this work?
It’s simple.
It’s simple.
This tournament gave students what they wanted (cash).
It allowed them to do this with the people they actually care about (their friends).
And it added an element of competition.
Students were not aware of how many units were enough to qualify for the next round, so they completed more units.
It allowed them to do this with the people they actually care about (their friends).
And it added an element of competition.
Students were not aware of how many units were enough to qualify for the next round, so they completed more units.
Our education system needs to stop focusing on the wrong things. Making content more “engaging” is a waste of time.
It won’t solve our education crisis.
But focusing on the kids will.
It won’t solve our education crisis.
But focusing on the kids will.
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