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 is why Khan Academy Reimagined includes new ways to help students stay motivated and engaged in their learning.
Students now have 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, and more ways to celebrate progress with their class.
For teachers who loved the shared energy of LearnStorm, Gem Challenges bring that same spirit of collective progress into everyday learning 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 class-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 students.
That reward might be a few minutes of choice time, a silly-hat day, a homework pass, a class party, or something completely unique to your group. You know what best motivates your students. Gem Challenges give you a simple way to connect that motivation to meaningful learning.
Classes that reach their goals can now celebrate with printable certificates, giving students something they can display or share at home.
“No joke. Khan Academy is low key kinda fun now.” – Pilot student
“No joke. Khan Academy is low key kinda fun now.” – Pilot student
Five ways the new experience supports student motivation
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 are working toward, they are more likely to start and keep going.
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 is done, students can see their work adding up over time.
Gems can also unlock Khanmigo accessories.
As students earn more Gems, they can add new accessories to Khanmigo. It is a small, fun way for students to see that their work is leading somewhere. The goal is not to distract from learning. It is to give students a visible reminder that their effort counts.
This combination of immediate progress and personal rewards is designed to help students take ownership of what they accomplish.
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 does not 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.
It gives the whole class something to work toward, cheer for, and celebrate together.
No two groups of students are exactly alike. What motivates one may not motivate another.
That is why Gem Challenges let teachers choose the reward.
You might keep it simple. You might make it silly. You might connect it to a tradition your students already love. The important thing is that the reward comes from you, the person who knows your students best.
Khan Academy tracks the progress. You choose what makes reaching the goal feel special.
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. Teachers can also download printable certificates to recognize the achievement.
Certificates give the celebration something tangible. They can be displayed, shared with families, or used as part of a simple class-recognition moment. The motivation system is designed to recognize both personal effort and collective progress digitally and physically.
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 student motivation without adding more work.
There is 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 students. Students still get the motivation of seeing their effort contribute to something shared. And when the goal is reached, certificates give you another way to recognize the win.
For teachers who loved LearnStorm, Gem Challenges carry forward that same feeling: collective goals, shared wins, and class energy.
For teachers who are new to Khan Academy motivational tools, Gem Challenges offer a simple way to make everyday practice feel more engaging from the start.
Ready to try Gem Challenges?
Gem Challenges are available now in the reimagined Khan Academy experience.
Choose one class, set a class reward, and let the progress start adding up. When your students reach the goal, celebrate together and download certificates to mark the moment.
We cannot wait to see what your class celebrates next.
