In this paper, the authors explore the gamification of mathematics curriculum in several primary school classrooms in Sri Lanka. They used standard processes to conduct their research; however, several important themes were uncovered and discussed that academics in education often overlook. First, students in developing countries do not have exposure to digital devices at home or in the classroom; this places them at a significant disadvantage. However, the authors found that these students did respond quickly when exposed to tablet devices with the appropriate educational software. Second, educational software for this demographic needs to be contextualized to accommodate the student’s previous experiences. Finally, only three percent of educational research into gamification is conducted in primary schools.

The conclusions and recommendations from this research are particularly important because they address a significant omission by educational software developers, that is, the under-valued work done in postcolonial countries. The authors suggest that when technology is developed for children, it is critical for them to be involved in the design process. Furthermore, software development should consider the context of the learning environment such that students in less technological classrooms can be enriched by the experience.

This is a powerful reminder for all professional educators that all classrooms are not equal, and more consideration is required when designing educational software. This paper should be of interest to all primary school teachers and associated administrators.