Edutainment: New Ways of Learning for a New Generation

April 29, 2021

Learning is just like playing video games.

  • Edutainment is when education is supported by entertainment to create a more enjoyable learning experience.

  • Games like chess and jigsaw puzzles utilise edutainment, and recently, video games fall in this category too.

  • Edutainment games are universal, teach students to be attentive, and promote mature growth.

When viewing education and entertainment individually, they appear to be two utterly different fields: one with a goal to cultivate knowledge, and the other as a means to provide amusement.

But decades of analyses have come with theories of a common link between both the process of learning, and the gamification of entertainment with current times show that the link is as prevalent as ever.

Educational Entertainment

Quoted frequently from as early as 1954 by big names such as Walt Disney, edutainment is what you get when you merge “Education” and “Entertainment” together. This interesting approach is based on a very simple idea: to support education with the use of entertainment.

A surprising fact is that a large majority of us have already experienced, one way or another, a form of edutainment.

Take a game of chess, and how it involves the discernment of logic and strategy; the same with jigsaw puzzles and the challenge of patiently piecing together a hollow image with only memory to aid and Legos™, the world-known construction simulator that blends creativity with a basic foundation of engineering.

The New Age of Virtual Curriculum

It is a fact that a huge portion of today’s video games put more resources into entertainment rather than education. But this doesn’t mean that edutainment video games are nonexistent; they just fall under a separate category.

These modern edutainment games utilise video game technologies and Educational Technology (edtech) to create a specific angle where education is a goal, and the learning process is an interactive journey.

Compatible with virtually any smart device, a quick Google search for “edutainment games” will net you a trove of platforms and apps.

Take Duolingo for one; a perfect example of edutainment done right. The app allows users to learn dozens of different languages while enjoying every step without even needing to read a single textbook.

For something closer to home, give Mindtrex Academy a look! A Bruneian e-learning platform taking big strides in developing the curriculum for the next generation of learners.

Now, who said that playing games wasn’t beneficial?

Here are some of the ways edutainment encourages learning!

Education Without Borders

Both figuratively and literally, edutainment platforms pride themselves on the freedom of convenience.

Most of these apps and websites are structured to offer learners a less linear, and more personalised learning experience. Also, as they are entirely digital, edutainment apps and platforms allow users access to classes anywhere.

Attentivity and Patience

A problem all educators go through is the constant need of keeping classes engaged in the subject. But that’s exactly where edutainment excels!

In being more game-like, these apps and platforms have the means of keeping a learner preoccupied with a course specifically designed to keep user retention with strategically placed entertainment. As a result, these digital classes teach students to be composed and patient.

Experiential and Mental Growth

Aside from just conventional learning, edutainment also proves to be a good avenue for personal growth. But rather than the monotony of a traditional classroom, edutainment provides a more stimulating approach.

Most edutainment apps are centered around gamifying the learning experience, such as narrating a subject with the use of creative storytelling. This puts users in a position where they might need to apply logic or think outside the box, contributing to innovation and individual development.

The Big Question

Is education by entertainment a feasible alternative to traditional education? Although they both accomplish a shared goal, a clear distinction can easily be seen between both mediums!

It should be clear that traditional education systems are by no means ‘outdated’, but with the speed of technological growth around us — and its universal effect on convenience — students expect similar treatment in education.

What are your thoughts on edutainment? Can it be used to keep future learners engaged? Or does it fall short?

We’ll just have to wait and find out!