Engagement drops quickly after users sign up for educational tech—this isn’t new to anyone in the industry. Increasing engagement longevity, however, is where this new study catches my attention. The latest example: A randomized trial with 10,000 students on an English-learning app showed that contests drive substantial short- and long-term engagement. These students who participated in contests completed 45% more stories during the competition, and even 12 weeks after the contests ended, their activity soared 76% relative to a control group. What’s fascinating is that the most active users, those who consistently interact with the platform, benefitted most. The findings suggest temporary contest incentives create lasting engagement, particularly among top performers. This aligns with a broader pattern we’re seeing in user retention strategies across various digital platforms.
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Source: Abraham, & Sharma, 2023. “Contests, gamification, and persistent engagement in educational technology.” Quantitative Marketing and Economics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11129-026-09311-3
Omer Ozbey 