Practice is one of the most powerful ways students build real understanding. But every teacher knows that getting students to start, stick with, and feel proud of that practice takes more than a good assignment.
Students need to know what to work on next. They need to see that their effort is adding up. And sometimes, they need the energy of their whole class working toward something together.
That’s why, as part of the reimagined Khan Academy experience, we’re introducing new ways to help students stay motivated and engaged in their learning.
Students will now see a more guided experience, with Missions that help them know what to work on next, clearer progress indicators, Gems that recognize learning effort, new ways to personalize Khanmigo as they practice, and new ways to celebrate progress with their class.
And for teachers who loved the shared energy of LearnStorm, we’re building on what worked there and are making it easier to bring that same momentum into everyday classroom routines.
What we learned from LearnStorm
LearnStorm showed us something important: shared classroom goals can make practice feel more meaningful.
When students are working toward a goal together, practice becomes more than an individual task. It becomes something the class can rally around. Teachers used LearnStorm to build momentum, celebrate effort, and bring a little extra joy into skill building.
We heard from many teachers who loved that sense of collective progress. We also heard that motivational tools work best when they are simple, flexible, and easy to keep going during the regular rhythm of the school year.
So we asked a simple question: How can we keep the best parts of LearnStorm—shared goals, visible progress, and class celebration—while also making the experience easier for every teacher and student to use?
That’s the idea behind Gem Challenges.
What are Gem Challenges?
Gem Challenges are Khan Academy’s new classroom-motivation feature.
As students practice and build skills, they earn Gems. Students can use Gems to unlock Khanmigo accessories, giving them a fun way to personalize their learning experience as their effort adds up.
Those Gems also automatically count toward a shared class goal. When the class reaches the goal, students celebrate together, and teachers can connect the challenge to a reward that fits their classroom.
That reward might be a few minutes of free-choice time, a silly-hat day, a homework pass, a class party, or something completely unique to your students. You know what motivates your class best. Gem Challenges give you a simple way to connect that motivation to meaningful learning.
“No joke. Khan Academy is low key kinda fun now.” – Pilot student
Five ways the new experience supports student motivation
1. Students have clearer next steps.
One of the hardest parts of independent practice is knowing where to begin.
In the reimagined Khan Academy experience, Missions help students understand what to work on next. Instead of wandering through content or waiting for direction, students can see focused learning goals that guide them through practice.
That clarity matters. When students know what they’re working toward, they’re more likely to start … and are more likely to keep going.
2. Progress feels more visible.
Motivation grows when students can see that their effort is making a difference.
Gems help make that progress more visible. As students complete practice and build skills, they earn Gems that recognize their learning effort. Rather than feeling like practice disappears once it’s done, students can see their work adding up over time.
And now, Gems can unlock something students can make their own: Khanmigo accessories.
As students earn more Gems, they can add new accessories to Khanmigo. It’s a small, fun way for students to see that their work is leading somewhere. The goal isn’t to distract from learning. It’s to give students a visible reminder that their effort counts.
That simple feedback loop can help students connect what they do each day with the progress they’re making.
3. Class goals turn practice into something shared.
Once students can see their own progress, Gem Challenges help them see how that progress contributes to something bigger.
Students do a lot of work independently on Khan Academy, but learning doesn’t have to feel lonely.
With Gem Challenges, individual student effort contributes to a shared class goal. Every Gem a student earns helps the class move forward. That means one student’s practice can become part of something bigger.
This is the spirit teachers loved when using LearnStorm—the feeling that the whole class is working together, cheering each other on, and celebrating progress as a group.
Gem Challenges bring that same energy into the everyday Khan Academy experience.
4. Teachers can choose rewards their students actually care about.
No two classrooms are exactly alike. What motivates one group of students might not motivate another.
That’s why Gem Challenges let teachers choose the reward.
You might keep it simple. You might make it silly. You might connect it to a classroom tradition your students already love. The important thing is that the reward comes from you, the person who knows your students best.
Khan Academy can help track the progress, but you bring the classroom magic.
5. Celebrations happen together.
A goal feels more meaningful when students get to celebrate reaching it.
When a class completes a Gem Challenge, students see a celebration moment together in Khan Academy. It’s a simple way to pause, recognize their effort, and make progress feel worth celebrating.
Then the next challenge begins, giving the class another reason to keep practicing and growing.
What this means for teachers
Gem Challenges are designed to support classroom motivation without adding more work.
There’s no separate event to launch, no manual progress tracking, and no complicated setup. As students practice and build skills, their Gems automatically count toward the class goal.
You still get the flexibility to choose a reward that feels right for your classroom. Students still get the motivation of seeing their effort contribute to something shared. And the whole class gets a visible reason to keep going.
For teachers who loved LearnStorm, Gem Challenges carry forward the same heart: collective goals, shared wins, and classroom energy.
For teachers who are new to Khan Academy motivation tools, Gem Challenges offer a simple way to make practice feel more engaging from the start.
Ready to try Gem Challenges?
The goal was never to build a complicated motivation system; it was to build one that naturally fits into the way students learn and teachers teach.
Gem Challenges are designed to make practice feel clearer, connected, and worth celebrating—one class goal at a time.
We can’t wait to see what your class celebrates next. Sign up for our waitlist to get access to the new experience later this month.
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