Edutainment and the Digital Native Generation‍

Edutainment Hurdles‍

‍The Evolution of Edutainment

‍Edutainment is the combination of education and entertainment in the hopes of creating a more engaging learning experience. The goal is to transform traditional learning methods into enjoyable activities, making education more accessible and appealing to diverse audiences.

‍From ABCs to Kids Shows and Problem Solving in GamesMany recall learning the alphabet through the classic ABC Song, a widespread example of edutainment at work; where music, as a form of entertainment, is utilized to teach kids the alphabet. Music, and storytelling to an even greater extent, have been leveraged throughout history to teach, retain, and share information across peoples and generations. Before written language, early human hunter-gatherers would use storytelling, song, and dance as a means to share vital information, teach appropriate behaviors, and promote cooperation (Nature).

‍Throughout history, stories have been used as both a means of entertainment and effective tools for communicating and teaching. Many of these are still well known to us today; from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh that reflected on human nature to the Greek tale of Icarus which taught the balancing of ambition and one’s limitations. Written language unlocked the preservation of these stories throughout time which was followed by the invention of the printing press in the 1400s enabling scaled creation and distribution (Live Science). Alongside storytelling and song, people started to play games like Mancala, Chess, and Go for fun and (as a side benefit) to sharpen their mental skills and strategic thinking. One of the oldest board games, Ur, dates as far back as the second millennia BCE.

‍With the 19th and 20th century came a host of new technologies that further enabled and augmented entertainment: radio, television, computers, and video games. Through radio and television, stories came to life auditorially and visually. In the early 20th century, learning through stories took on a new form. Walt Disney recognized television's potential as an educational medium and pioneered educational content for children using animation. The "Mickey Mouse Club" and "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" introduced educational experiences directly into family living rooms (LA Times, The Mickey Mouse Club). The 1950s saw the creation of the National Educational Television in the US, a broadcasting service focused on educational content which was later succeeded by the government-funded Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the late 1960s. PBS featured several children’s shows, including “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” that taught everything from reading and writing skills to social and emotional intelligence (Britannica). It was around this time that the term "edutainment" was coined as educators explored ways to enhance learning through entertainment (ThirdRock).

As home video games hit mainstream growth in the 1970s (Atari VCS) and 1980s (Nintendo NES, Sega Genesis), educational games began being produced. Arguably, the most successful early edutainment video game was “The Oregon Trail” (>65m copies sold); developed by teachers and released in 1974, the historical game taught children about the realities of 19th century pioneer life. Since then, a multitude of edutainment games have been produced with varying educational goals: Reader Rabbit in 1984 taught reading skills, Carmen Sandiego in 1985 taught geography, and Scratch in 2007 taught coding skills (Paper).

‍The Power of Game-Based Learning

‍‍In today's evolving digital landscape, we are witnessing a generation of students and learners who have never known a world without smartphones, tablets, and instant internet access. These "digital natives" (people who have grown up in the information age) are growing up in ecosystems where technology is not just a tool but an integral part of their daily lives and social interactions. Given this reality, our education systems must evolve to meet these students where they are – in the digital realm.
Games, unlike most other forms of edutainment, meet this generation where they are with a host of benefits:

• Immersive Learning: Games like Minecraft Education Edition create interactive environments that teach subjects such as history, mathematics, and computer science (TheGameHers).
• Skill Development: Educational games foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. For example, Math Blaster enhances mathematical abilities through entertaining gameplay.
• Adaptive Learning: Many edutainment games adapt to the player's learning pace, providing tailored content. Prodigy, for instance, adjusts math problem difficulty based on the player's progress. This principle ensures each student is appropriately challenged (Adaptive Learning).
• Multiplayer and Social Learning: Online games often involve collaboration and competition. These elements can be harnessed in education to promote cooperation, learn teamwork, and engage in healthy competition.
• Immediate Feedback: Digital games provide instant feedback, allowing learners to quickly understand their progress and areas for improvement – a key factor in effective learning.
• Safe Learning Environments: Educational games offer risk-free spaces for students to explore new concepts and learn from mistakes without fear of negative consequences.
• Gamification: Apps like Duolingo add streaks, continuous rewards, badges, and challenges, among other things to keep users incentivized to and retained on their learning path.

Beyond theory, the benefits of game-based learning is supported by scientific research and evidence.

Early Childhood

Earlier this year, a systemic review and meta-analysis study of 136 game-based learning studies (across 1,426 participants) between 2013 and 2023 was published (Manar Alotaibi, Frontiers) to “examine the effectiveness of game-based learning in early childhood education.” The results suggest that game-based learning has a moderate effect on five key learning areas: cognitive, social, emotional, motivation, and engagement.

In particular, game-based learning shows properly designed and developmentally appropriate content has a positive effect on cognitive development in subjects such as math, science and reading and improved student motivation and engagement. While game-based learning has shown positive effects on social-emotional learning (SEL), further research needs to be done to fully understand the effects and specific characteristics of effective programs.

Childhood Education

Konvoy portfolio company, Legends of Learning, partnered with WestEd, a nonpartisan education research agency, to understand the relationship between the utilization of their science program related to achievement. The study consisted of over 14,000 fifth-grade and eighth-grade students. This study found significant and educationally-meaningful differences in the average scores of students with moderate and high usage of the game-based learning program compared to students who did not use the program. Additionally, as usage of the game-based science program increased, science scores also increased.

Higher Education

In 2021, researchers did an interventional game-based learning study for 2nd year medical students. The enrolled students were randomly assigned to two separate groups, one that utilized game-based learning and a control group. Both groups were given a multiple-choice pre-test and post-test on selected topics. The statistically significant results of the study showed that students in the game-based learning group improved over twice as much as the control group.

Blockers and Risks to Edutainment Adoption

While these are just a handful of studies, the results point towards promising effects from early childhood through later education. Despite the potential advantages, several challenges have prevented edutainment from becoming a primary teaching method:

• Technological Challenges: Unfit school infrastructure, such as limited internet access, outdated computers, and limited student devices, makes it challenging to implement edutainment effectively. Additionally, the high costs of purchasing equipment, software licenses, and maintaining these tools are often beyond the budgets of many schools.
• Teaching Practices: Educators must be trained to use effective edutainment tools. However, professional development opportunities are limited and technology often evolves faster than training programs can keep up (Ubicast). Aligning edutainment with existing school curricula is another hurdle, as finding suitable materials or combining game-based learning with traditional grading and testing systems can take time and effort (District Administration).
• Institutional and Cultural: Resistance to incorporating technology is present both in schools and at home; educators are hesitant to move away from traditional methods, and parents question the value of technology in education. When it comes to implementation, schools need support to plan and implement the adoption of edutainment tools and strategies.
• Efficacy: Concerns about the effectiveness of edutainment further slow its adoption. While the studies mentioned previously are promising, more research is needed to understand edutainment’s long-term impact and which methods are most effective (Edutech Debate).

To push edutainment forward, these barriers must be addressed to enable widespread adoption. Solving these issues will require collaboration among teachers, policymakers, technology developers, and the general public to create solutions that are accessible, effective, and widely supported.

Takeaway: While edutainment as a term was coined in the 1970s, entertainment through storytelling and games has been used as a medium for education and the sharing of ideas since early humans developed language and communication skills. In modern history, edutainment and game-based learning has struggled to gain popularity and widespread adoption in traditional learning environments, largely driven by skepticism of its efficacy and barriers to technology adoption. But game-based learning fits well with the ways in which students of today's generation interact with and consume information. With the potential promise it has, we encourage researchers, educators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to prioritize and spend more time considering the possibilities of game-based learning.