Students perceive diversity in learning—varied content, outdoor and technology-supported approaches, and physical activity—as essential to fun in 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? Across all four focus groups, students expressed a desire for varied learning content and teaching approaches, including outdoor lessons, tablets and 3D printing, and movement integrated into lessons, as core to fostering fun. → 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?

Thematic analysis of the four student focus groups (N = 12): students valued experimenting with different artistic mediums, drawing landscapes outdoors, interactive whiteboards and tablets, and dancing to songs in music class.

"The need for diversity in learning is a theme that was prominent across all four focus groups, reflecting students' desire for varied learning content and teaching approaches, as a core element for fostering fun."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Primary school students aged 9–12 perceive a sense of agency—choice over content, personalization, self-directed performance, and task completion—as a core element of fun in learning — related
• Students perceive pleasure—positive emotions during learning and the active minimization of boredom and displeasure—as an element of fun in learning — related
• Students perceive peer interaction—companionship, support as a social buffer, and cooperation toward shared goals—as a key element of fun in learning — related
• Students perceived clickers' greatest course impact as lesson variation and fun, with learning influence a distant second — related
• Students reported that the virtual-lab lesson made learning fun, helped them figure out concepts themselves, and supported thinking like real scientists — related
• Students report games make the classroom atmosphere fun and increase participation — related
• Students perceive manageable challenge matched to their skills, with a sense of accomplishment, as an intrinsically rewarding element of fun in formal learning — related
• Outdoor learning in nature significantly increases students' physical activity in most studies, with some null results — related
• Joy was the predominant emotion in compulsory primary education PE, linked to diverse content, cooperative games, absence of competitiveness and cathartic release — related