Educational technologies, such as ClassDojo claim to aid education and practitioners; providing a communication platform for teachers to provide feedback to parents and subsequently support family networking. On the surface, this is believed to enhance existing behaviour management strategies, as pupils are introduced a gamified version of behaviour management systems, whereby pupils compete for points (Mavolev, 2018), thus instigating extrinsically driven behaviour as pupils conform to behaviour expectations (Rogers, 2015, p. 163). Though competition is believed to benefit pupils social and emotional development by supporting their perseverance with challenging tasks and preventing discouragement (Rimm, 2008), this constant comparison of points focuses on the surveillance and control of pupils as oppose to exploring pupils feelings and experiences concerning their behaviours or achievements (Mavolev, 2018). Thus, educational technologies rise, the values within traditional communicative strategies diminish.

Despite the alleged advantages within the ClassDojo app, the application assumes a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to behaviour management, as it handles pupils’ behaviour and achievements using identical strategies – the points system. However, as learning transpires at different speeds and to different depths of cognition, Ollerton (2009, p. 49) highlights “Teaching a ‘one-size-fits-all’ pace will not benefit the class”. Therefore, interpersonal communication and intervention is required for practitioners to explore their pupils individual needs and circumstances, and thus make reasonable adjustments to accommodate behaviour management strategies to these – something which the app does not facilitate.