Our client, Elzbieta Pustulka, a lecturer at the FHNW School of Business, has been using SQL Scrolls to teach the database language SQL to numerous FHNW students. Originally developed as a master's thesis project, SQL Scrolls has since undergone continuous enhancement. Each semester, hundreds of undergraduates at Basel and Brugg play to learn SQL. To further enrich the learning experience and expand the functionality , the client aims to introduce new gamification features.

The project team iteratively integrated the underlying technology for a leaderboard and a ranking mechanism. By gathering student feedback on the implemented functions and design via a questionnaire and life demos, specific requirements and preferences of the end-users were added to the game. The requirements were supplemented by current research findings to ensure healthy and fair competition among the students. Lastly, the technologies used for SQL Scrolls were investigated and new features and improvements were added to the source code.

The project resulted in several new features and mechanisms that enable user ranking and comparison, allow for progress monitoring, and support student engagement. Specifically, both a relative and absolute leaderboard were integrated into the game, allowing for peer comparison while providing anonymization options and class filters for individual comparisons. Consequently, the introduction of a leaderboard mechanism within SQL Scrolls will help lecturers to enhance student engagement by linking the platform's usage to various incentives, such as exam points. In addition, the new leaderboard functionality allows instructors to monitor student progress in real-time, providing the opportunity to effectively reward or encourage productive learning behavior.