The principle of many learning apps is usually the same: complete tasks, earn coins and get a reward. The combination of mini-games is intended to motivate children to learn. Does this make sense for the youngest - or is it addictive?
Adding, subtracting or practicing German on the computer - even before the pandemic, learning apps were a supplement to lessons for students. During the Corona period, they sometimes became a substitute for lessons. "Just when the schools were closed overnight, Anton was my salvation," says a primary school teacher from Berlin-Neukölln about the app developed in Berlin, which is one of the most widely used.
Students can enjoy it as a tasks at home that teachers have assigned them. because for solved tasks many people enjoy learning with it. There is direct feedback and rewards in the form of virtual coins with which computer games can be played or avatars can be dressed.
Doubtful reward system
But some parents doubt this reward system. "My six-year-old son has never had anything to do with computer games. As a result of homeschooling, of all things, he has now started shooting asteroids. Does that have to be?" Asks a Berlin mother. A father thinks it is questionable to constantly reward children. “Don't you like to learn by yourself?” He says.
Basically everything is positive that induces children to deal with school topics outside of school, says the President of the German Teachers' Association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger. "However, games are not an intrinsic motivation that encourages children to learn on their own."
The idea of combining learning and fun may be clever, says Christian Groß, spokesman for the Media Dependency Association. "It is easier for children who are already affine for computer games to get started." They get the feeling better with this, after all the incentive comes from school and therefore can't be bad.
Incentive or frustrating factor?
"They are simple mini-games that we offer," says David Hörmeyer, managing director of the Berlin company Solocode, which Anton developed. Many games promote concentration and are didactically valuable. "If the children really want to gamble, then they don't do that with" Anton "," argues the founder. From his point of view, the games are more of a small incentive that is not equally interesting for everyone. Some children were not interested in it at all.
Other learning programs also work with rewards: Duolingo promises: "Earn virtual coins, unlock new levels and improve your language skills while mastering new words, expressions and grammar." And the Scoyo app promises, among other things, coins as a reward and to be exchanged for avatars or handicraft sheets, ranking lists and water battles, which are supposed to put you in a good mood.
"Someone who learns out of interest and joy is quickly trained to learn for the reward," says addiction therapist Groß. If the reward no longer takes place later, it can cause frustration and, in the worst case, one is no longer willing to learn at all. "In the long term, it is not a good model at all to introduce young generation to performance or learning. It would make more sense to promote certain talents and enthusiasm without constant and immediate reward," emphasizes Groß.