My Pixel Academy

A new, all-content gamification platform for the online classroom.

 v0.1: Progress Tracking, Achievements, and Rewards 

Q: How can I use the styles of interaction students already know from their digital lives to increase engagement in my classroom? 

Progress Points reward students in the moment for core expectations and routines. Mastery Badges mark achievement of key skills and course objectives. The Unlock Shop gives students one more reason to bring their best to class and independent practice. And Home Zones invite students to take ownership of their own space as take on new challenges in class.

With My Pixel Academy's first prototype, students focus in class and drive in independent work increased, right alongside their excitement and joy.

 v0.2: Collaborative Environments and Narrative Arcs 

Q: Can I use gamification to form  community in my classes?

Transitions can be tough, and everyone enters a new classroom with a little uncertainty. Debuting the Summer Clubhouse series for four-week summer enrichment classes helped form community through shared environments and storytelling.  

Students completed writing project steps each week to unlock new areas of the Clubhouse. Secret rooms and mysterious missions launched independent reading, vocabulary, and research routines, capping off the unit - and the class - with a special final unlock.

 v0.3 (current): Web Platform for Independent Practice

Q: Will deep narrative and student choice encourage independent practice outside of class?

Last semester, My Pixel Academy took things to the next level, using a web platform, narrative cutscenes, and AI-powered independent practice activities in a whole new environment. Pressing "pause" on the shop-based rewards system, we investigated discovery as a prime motivation for learning in a gamified environment. 

Alternating sequences of full-class learning and student-choice assignments, incentivized by story and exploration, drove students to work harder than ever at independent practice, often completing double or even triple the required homework to unlock the next challenge task.

This version also challenged me as a storyteller and a designer. In the world of the Academy, students have been invited to a mysterious school to learn the ancient art of Shaping, using language and creativity to shape reality. For each task and learning objective, I asked myself, "How does this tie into the world we're building together?" The more narratively connected the assignments were, the more students connected the concepts and skills they were learning.

Click through the image carousel or check out two of last semester's activity-launching cutscenes, one for independent vocabulary practice and one for our collaborative group midterm!

What's Next 

A dedicated web platform where teachers can quick-start their own gamified classrooms, adding their assignments, using preset or customized point and reward options, and integrating narrative with AI-powered help options - each step allowing them to use their own curriculum and even their own in-person rewards systems.

A platform where students can claim their personal space, track their class progress, and work independently with the benefits of in-the-moment feedback that takes their learning to the "+1" every time.

A platform shaped by the hands-on feedback of innovative teachers who know exactly how learning should look.

That's the vision for 2026. My Pixel Academy is currently looking for a technical cofounder with a passion for education and games and a background in web app development. We're also inviting mentorship and collaboration of all kinds as we try to make something truly special for students everywhere.

If this sounds like your speed, get in touch at one of the contact links below.