New China school system rewards diligent pupils with ‘digital pets’ to motivate them
Virtual cats, dogs, even dolphins see classmates up their academic game for points with which they can feed, upgrade their digital companions
Chinese secondary schoolteachers have introduced a new way of motivating pupils by awarding them “digital pets” that they can adopt online.
The move has gained widespread attention and support.
Recently, primary and secondary schoolteachers across China introduced an innovative “class pet-raising programme” in which pupils earn points for good behaviour to “feed” and nurture virtual pets.
At the start of the new school semester, Liu Qianqian, a class head teacher at Hangzhou Shenglan Middle School, Zhejiang province in southeastern China, decided to assign a virtual pet to each of her 35 pupils.
The platform has 46 types of pets to choose from.
In addition to common animals like cats, dogs, pigs and ducks, it also features more unusual options such as mini pigs, Samoyeds, and sugar gliders.
“I used a free platform that allows each student to choose a pet they like. They can earn points through their performance at school to feed and upgrade their pets. It both motivates learning and feels very therapeutic,” Liu told Zhejiang Daily Press Group.
The approach builds on a similar system she used last semester, when pupils earned points to exchange for snacks by completing tasks such as finishing homework early, taking part in classroom cleaning or helping classmates.