Students perceive manageable challenge matched to their skills, with a sense of accomplishment, as an intrinsically rewarding element of fun in formal learning¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r? · q2
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Students report that learning activities aligned with their skills—neither too easy nor too difficult—and the accomplishment of succeeding at demanding tasks make learning fun, without requiring gamified rewards. → Kokarida 2026

Evidence¶

Kokarida 2026¶

Kokarida, P., Markopoulos, P., & Tisza, G. (2026). Fun beyond gamification: Universal elements to enhance children's learning. Instructional Science (2026) 54:30. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-026-09780-9

q2 · i? · qualitative · r?

Focus group thematic analysis (N = 12 students): students described preferring manageable difficulty ("She gives us a lot [of homework], but it's not difficult") and mastery of demanding tasks such as mathematics as generating fun and competence.

"Additionally, a sense of accomplishment was consistently associated with fun when stu- dents successfully performed on challenging tasks."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

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