Short answer
Gamification in training means using game elements, such as points, levels, badges and leaderboards, in a learning context. Several meta-analyses published since 2020 found positive effects on learning, with sizes that vary with the design. This guide covers which elements to use and how to apply them.
What gamification is
Gamifying means applying game mechanics to an activity that is not a game. In training, that means giving learners visible goals, progress, recognition and a dose of challenge: points for each answer, levels to unlock, badges for milestones and a leaderboard to compare with the team.
Gamified learning is not the same as a full educational game. You do not need a story or characters: you need the right rules around the content your team has to know.
What the research says
A medium effect on performance
A meta-analysis of 30 interventions with 3,202 participants found a medium effect in favour of gamification on academic performance (g = 0.504). Some students named anxiety or jealousy as downsides.
Bai, Hew and Huang (2020), Educational Research Review.
Each game element has its own effect
A meta-analysis of 30 studies with 3,083 participants found a small to medium effect (g = 0.464), and each of the 14 game elements examined had different effects.
Huang, Ritzhaupt, Sommer and colleagues (2020), Educational Technology Research and Development.
Positive effects on learning, motivation and behaviour
A meta-analysis on the gamification of learning found significant positive effects on learning (g = 0.49), motivation (g = 0.36) and behaviour (g = 0.25).
Sailer and Homner (2020), Educational Psychology Review.
Badges, leaderboards and performance graphs
In an experiment, badges, leaderboards and performance graphs increased competence need satisfaction and the perceived meaningfulness of the task.
Sailer and colleagues (2017), Computers in Human Behavior.
The practical lesson: choose elements that show progress and competence. Badges, leaderboards and performance graphs are the ones the 2017 study linked to greater competence need satisfaction. We cover the studies in more detail in our article on gamification research.
Which game elements to use
| Element | What it is for | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Points | Instant feedback on every answer | Reward accuracy and speed, not just taking part |
| Levels | Show progress topic by topic | Levelling up should require mastery, not luck |
| Badges | Recognise learning milestones | Names that mean something to the team |
| Leaderboard | Create healthy competition | Include team rankings, not only individual ones |
| Challenges | Bring colleagues into the game | Keep the tone light, without penalising mistakes |
Gamification with substance
Game elements make people come back. What makes knowledge stick is what happens on each visit. That is why gamification works best when it rests on two well-studied principles:
- Retrieval practice. Answering questions beats rereading. In 2006, Roediger and Karpicke showed that taking tests after studying led to better performance, after two days and after one week, than studying again. See retrieval practice.
- Spaced repetition. Studying on separate occasions beats studying all at once, for short and long retention intervals (Cepeda and colleagues, 2006). See spaced repetition.
A quiz game with spaced repetition brings all three together: the urge to come back, retrieval on every question and the right gap between reviews.
How to apply it in your company
- Start with what must not be forgotten. Rules, products, procedures: pick 50 to 150 questions to begin with.
- Organise by levels. One topic per level, from the basics to the most demanding.
- Choose meaningful badges. Names that make sense in your company, tied to mastering the content.
- Balance competition and collaboration. Individual and team leaderboards, so nobody is left out.
- Measure and adjust. Track participation, progress by level and the hardest questions, and review them after the first week.
How the platform applies gamification
Academia AtlasLaunch 2026
2Level4 more correct answers to level up and 9 to the next medal
- Levels by topic and six medals with the names you choose.
- Speed points, three helps per round and individual and team leaderboards.
- Each round has six questions and takes one to two minutes.
- Behind the points, a memory model per person and per question decides what comes back and when. Learn more in how it works.
References
- Bai, S., Hew, K. F. & Huang, B. (2020). Does gamification improve student learning outcome? Evidence from a meta-analysis and synthesis of qualitative data in educational contexts. Educational Research Review, 30, 100322. doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100322
- Huang, R., Ritzhaupt, A. D., Sommer, M., Zhu, J., Stephen, A., Valle, N., Hampton, J. & Li, J. (2020). The impact of gamification in educational settings on student learning outcomes: a meta-analysis. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(4), 1875-1901. doi:10.1007/s11423-020-09807-z
- Sailer, M. & Homner, L. (2020). The gamification of learning: a meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 77-112. doi:10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w
- Sailer, M., Hense, J. U., Mayr, S. K. & Mandl, H. (2017). How gamification motivates: an experimental study of the effects of specific game design elements on psychological need satisfaction. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 371-380. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.033
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T. & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: a review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354-380. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
- Roediger, H. L. & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249-255. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
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