Duolingo is located on the list of CNET's best language learning applications, and on Monday, the free version introduced a new energy mechanism that could further drive your learning experience.
“We want to reward you for doing a good job and find ways to motivate you with this kind of mechanic, not just punishing you for not being right when you learn,” Moses Wayne told me in an interview. Wayne, a senior software engineer at Duolingo, thought of new systems. “We think that will make Duolingo more interesting and fair.”
The new mechanic replaces the heart system in the free version of Duolingo. The heart system gives you five hearts a day, and if you encounter a problem in the course, you will lose one heart. If you have five problems, you won't be able to continue.
There is a way to practice past lessons to restore the mind, but you have to complete the entire lesson to get one mind. If you continue to struggle with a specific course, the old system may slow you down or put it in a standstill. However, new energy systems should make it easier for people to continue learning.
Some people who use the free version of Duolingo on iOS will now see the new mechanics, while others on iOS will see it soon. People on Android should see this change later this year.
Learning with Duolingo can bring you energy
With the new system you can start with 25 units of energy and when you have problems you will still lose one unit. However, over time, you will “recharge” energy, and you can earn energy by watching ads between courses. Some treasure chests in the app can also reward your energy.
However, the main way to restore energy is to ask questions correctly.
“If you receive a lot of things in a row, like five combination markers, i.e. 10 combination markers… there is a small animation that shows some numbers and tells you how much [energy] You've made it,” Wayne said.
Duolingo’s purpose is to inspire people to continue learning even if they make mistakes. This way, you can continue to move forward in the course.
Getting a winning streak in Duolingo can add some of your energy.
“Making mistakes is part of learning,” Wayne said. “This enables learners to interact with Duolingo.”
Read more: What You Need to Know About Chess Courses on Duolingo
While this seems to be a minor change, I think it is a huge help for people trying to learn a new language or how to play chess.
Last year, when I used the app to learn a little Italian before heading to Rome, I felt the heart system forced me to really focus on what I was learning.
But when I had to restart the course, I was still frustrated because I was consuming my heart with all my heart. I was very frustrated when I ran out of courses that I thought were particularly useful for travel, such as courses describing a horrible hotel.
If I don't have the goal of using the app to learn a travel language, then I may be bailed. But I think the energy system will help alleviate the frustration that people may feel when making mistakes in the course.
According to Duolingo, people who have used the new system have responded positively to the change.
“A lot of people interact with Duolingo,” Wayne said. “We have seen learners do more in the energy system than they do with the heart.”
For more information about Duolingo, here is our review, here is what you know about the app's chess courses. You can also check out our review of the best language learning applications.
