Do Leaderboards Actually Improve Learning? The Science (and What's New in Ollivate)
Did you know that leaderboards can actually improve your learning and retention?
Yes, really. Research links well-designed leaderboards to higher motivation, engagement, and performance, largely because they get learners to come back and practice more often. And that repeated practice is exactly what builds long-term memory.
It sounds like a fun add-on, a little gamified flair on top of studying. But there’s real science behind it. And we just made Ollivate’s leaderboards even better.
The Science: Leaderboards Actually Work
This isn’t just a hunch. The research is surprisingly strong.
A meta-analysis published in Educational Psychology Review found that gamification elements like leaderboards can improve learner motivation, engagement, and performance. The one caveat: design matters. A well-built leaderboard motivates, while a poorly built one can discourage. Done right, it becomes a genuine driver of learning.
The effect shows up in experimental work, too. In an experimental study by Landers and Landers, students with a leaderboard interacted with the learning material nearly 30 more times than students without one. That’s not a small nudge. It’s a meaningful jump in how often learners came back and engaged.
Why More Engagement Means Better Retention
Here’s why that extra engagement matters so much.
Every time you come back to answer a question, you’re not just logging activity. You’re retrieving information from memory, and retrieval practice research consistently shows that repeated recall strengthens long-term retention. In other words, a leaderboard gets you to do the one thing that reliably builds durable knowledge: come back and practice, again and again.
So the leaderboard isn’t a distraction from learning. It’s a mechanism that pulls you toward the exact behavior that makes learning stick, whether you’re prepping for the SEE or NCE, studying for the CCRN, or keeping your anesthesia knowledge sharp as a practicing CRNA.
What It Actually Feels Like
That’s the science. Here’s what it feels like.
It’s like finally getting your moment on the podium, except now there’s a podium for studying, for all the hours you’ve quietly put in. The leaderboard is your shot. Climb the ranks. Humble-brag about it to your cohort or your coworkers. It’s a little competitive, hard to put down, and honestly way more fun than staring at a screen alone at midnight.
Studying was never meant to be a solo grind. A leaderboard turns it into something with energy, momentum, and a little friendly rivalry.
New: Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Championships
And we just made it even better.
Now you can climb the ranks daily, weekly, and monthly, competing for the championship at every level. Whether you want a quick daily win or you’re playing the long game for the monthly title, there’s a race for you.
Even better, we’ll be announcing our champions regularly on our social media. Your name could be up next.
Get Your Questions In
The formula is simple: the more you play, the more you climb, and the more you learn along the way.
So get those questions in. Rise up the daily, weekly, and monthly boards, and keep an eye out, because the next champion we announce might just be you. Jump into the leaderboards in the Ollivate app, or learn more at ollivate.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do leaderboards really improve learning?
Yes. Research links well-designed leaderboards to higher motivation, engagement, and performance, largely because they get learners to come back and practice more often.
2. Why does a leaderboard help retention?
It increases how often you return to answer questions, and repeated retrieval practice is one of the most reliable ways to strengthen long-term memory.
3. What’s new about Ollivate’s leaderboards?
You can now compete daily, weekly, and monthly for the championship, and champions are announced regularly on Ollivate’s social media.
4. How do I climb the ranks?
Keep answering questions in the Ollivate app. The more you play and engage, the higher you climb.
5. Does competition work for everyone?
Not always. Research shows design matters, and a poorly built leaderboard can discourage some learners. Ollivate’s is built to motivate: you can treat it as friendly competition, a personal challenge, or a way to study alongside your cohort.
References & Further Reading
Li, C., Liang, L., Fryer, L. K., & Shum, A. (2024). The use of leaderboards in education: A systematic review of empirical evidence in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.13077
Landers RN, Landers AK. An Empirical Test of the Theory of Gamified Learning: The Effect of Leaderboards on Time-on-Task and Academic Performance. Simulation & Gaming. 2014;45(6):769–785.
Roediger HL, Karpicke JD. Test-Enhanced Learning: Taking Memory Tests Improves Long-Term Retention. Psychological Science. 2006;17(3):249–255.
