Best Use of Gamification in Education – Erfan Khoshnazar

In my educational-entrepreneurial ecosystem, gamification is not an add-on—it is the core structure of learning. My goal has been to transform education from a rigid process into an engaging, enjoyable, and game-like journey

Game-based Structure in Kakh Serkh
Kakh Serkh is a two-year program with over 10,000 students. It is built around nine levels of life skills, each designed as a “game stage”

Students must complete specific missions (e.g., managing expenses, solving a crisis, practicing communication)

After each mission, they earn points and rewards

To advance, they must overcome the challenges of the previous level

Gamification of UNESCO Literacies and Special Skills
The seven UNESCO literacies are taught through missions and challenges

Financial literacy: a simulation game where students manage a bank account, loans, and investments

Media literacy: a digital mission where students detect fake news from real news

AI literacy: a project-based mission where students use AI to generate content

Gamification in First Class and Business Class

In First Class, students earn points for writing business plans, launching mini-projects, and selling their first products. Over 100 students have launched real businesses upon completion

In Business Class, students master complex skills through team-based competitive projects. Missions include designing logos, producing videos, or creating marketing strategies

Technology Enhancements

VR: A fully immersive 360° metaverse makes the entire journey feel like an adventure game

AR: The Kakh Serkh Book brings content alive with augmented reality

AI: Courses are translated and dubbed into multiple languages, while AI assigns personalized missions to students

Results and Impact

Over 10,000 highly engaged students worldwide

Dropout rates minimized due to engaging gamified structure

Students report they feel they are “playing a game” rather than “studying

Unique Value
Unlike many educational programs that use limited gamification (points, badges, leaderboards), my model transforms the entire educational pathway into a hero’s journey—where every challenge and level is a mission that builds real-world skills