Competitive learning app - would you use it?

[SheHasAWildHeart]

I've purchased a subscription to iXL and DD7 uses it regularly. She loves it and can pick and choose what topic she's in the mood for. She loves getting the medals and rewards. It matches to the National Curriculum and has helped her in a positive way. I do think its better to use for short periods of time because it is a bit dull! Just lines of text or pics to choose from.

Now DD school has signed them up to Skoolbro. It's colourful and fun. It's algorithm adjusts the next task based on your child's ability. The only reservation I have is that it makes you 'play' against others in her class. Their name and avatar pops up. This makes it more competitive and DD got a bit upset when she lost in two games against her friend. Yes I know I should toughen her up! She's usually fine about losing in sports and board games but I don't want her to become disheartened when it comes to education. I've said to her that this should motivate her to practise and get better. But I don't know, the whole competitive side doesn't sit right with me. Just wanted to know whether I was being PFB with her?!

I am amazed that children have to compete. Nothing would be guaranteed to stress DD out and make her unable to function.

It's one thing to not be good at sports, or to lose a board game, because they can be peripheral to a child's life, but something as central as maths - no!

It might be fun for child who is top of the class, but what about other children? competing online for pure fun games might be ok, but on key subject against class mates!? Some children might lose their confidence badly. I don't like the idea!!!

No, that's horrible, my boys would be really upset by that.

Thank you, thought it was just me. Am going to see if there are any settings on it that can stop it happening, so she can play against the computer rather than her friends.

Surely the questions each child gets are matched to their ability? So the most able child can play against the least able, with neither of them knowing that the other is doing vastly different questions? When I've used sumdog in school, the children have chosen to compete against each other rather than the computer because they enjoy playing together.

Hmm, have a look at the settings? DC have recently got into this, they don't want to play against people they know so just play against random internet people. They don't seem bothered by that, which really surprised me - DS usually caves with any sort of pressure. I'm not sure if DD has even noticed the winning/losing aspect, she just says ooh I'm playing with a girl called Alice!