THE world today is changing at a fast pace. Educational institutions in the developed world are working hard to prepare individuals who may overcome tough challenges. One proven approach in this regard is gamified learning, which allows educators to combine modern game mechanics with traditional learning methods. By using gaming features like points, achievements, challenges and leaderboards, educators can create an environment that strengthens collabo-ration, communication and teamwork while maintaining motivation among students.

Unlike traditional teaching methods, gamified learning involves the need to learn new roles, norms and behaviours that encourage learners to collaborate and communicate by sharing knowledge and insights, enriching their skills in a social context. I have personally seen schools incorporating gamified learning by either adapting platforms, such as Code.org and Minecraft, or making their own board-games where students not only enjoy learning, but also polish their vocabulary, communication, design thinking, or even their skills like presenting and coding.

Teachers have reported that such an approach reduces anxiety complaints from students, builds their confidence, and helps learners retain information for much longer periods.

We need to invest in gamified learning tools to improve the quality of education.

Mashal Adnan
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2026