What is the key difference between “entertainment” and “edutainment”?

What is the difference between «edutainment» (derived from education and entertainment) from «entertainment»? Despite the fact that both processes are similar in many respects (in particular, they use the game process), the main difference is the goal set by the participants. For example, a user playing a video game wants to enjoy the process. There is no need for personal or professional development before him (within the framework of the game). New impressions, new emotions or new “virtual” achievements (badges, places in the rankings of the participants of the game, etc.) are important to him. What does the user who uses edutainment (this can be business games in business schools or mobile applications etc) want to achieve? In this case, the goal is usually to acquire a new skill or new knowledge, to improve existing knowledge and skills, and to achieve a new level of understanding of processes occurring in a particular sphere. At the same time, it is important to keep the same level of new impressions as in a simple game, as the process of «edutainment» should also capture and not give reasons to be distracted. Thus, if the game play itself is the goal in the game, then in the «edutainment» game play is only a tool. In this case, game play is up to the author. But when it comes to edutainment — there are a number of conditions. This is primarily due to the fact that it is necessary to use skills and knowledge from the “real” world, that is, the authors of the game are limited in the choice of tools that they can give to participants. The game environment should as much as possible repeat the rules and cause and effect relationships of real situations for the formation of skills and knowledge applicable in future activities. This is the main limitation, since the real situation consists of hundreds (if not thousands) of interrelated factors that can not simply be transferred to the game process. So how to make this process interesting for the learner so that he/she firstly remained involved, and secondly he/she gets experience that can be used? Several simple conditions must be observed. One of them — the stimulative approach — will be our next post.
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Truly yours Stan
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