Friday, September 4, 2026

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Courtyard Room

---

Overview

Many boys demonstrate a decline in engagement with reading, especially during high school as reading comes to represent work rather than enjoyment. This presentation will share how gamification has transformed the Reading and Research program at St Bede's College from a teacher-led battle field to a dynamic, rewarding and socially connected experience. Integrating game design elements such as levels, challenges, leaderboards, and physical rewards, this session will illustrate how some basic principles of teenage motivation and the way research shows that boys approach reading can be harnessed to foster a culture where reading feel less like homework and more like a rewarding and enjoyable pursuit. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable gamification techniques and examples of how competition, collaboration and choice can improve reading frequency and enthusiasm among boys.

---

Speaker