Extrinsic motivators — certificates, streaks, leaderboard rank — are useful for getting a learner to start and to push through an initial dip in enthusiasm. They are far less reliable at sustaining effort over a long course, especially once the novelty wears off.

Intrinsic motivation, driven by genuine interest or a sense of visible progress toward a personal goal, tends to hold up much better over weeks and months. Courses that connect lessons to a learner's own stated goal early on — and remind them of that connection periodically — tap into this more durable source of drive.

The most effective online courses use extrinsic rewards as a short-term bridge while designing content and framing that build intrinsic interest for the long haul, rather than relying on streak notifications indefinitely.