EDUTAINMENT

  Education often doesn’t come to mind in conjunction with entertainment, but that’s exactly what edutainment is—education with the goal of making learning enjoyable. In the classroom, edutainment takes the form of media, games, toys, and experiences that mix fun and learning to motivate students. Teachers also use gamification alongside edutainment to create a more fun atmosphere for students. These learning tactics ultimately lead to better educational experiences and student retention. Edutainment Overview What is edutainment? Edutainment, both inside and outside the classroom, helps to make learning fun. American illustrator Peter Catalanotto coined the term in the 1990s while teaching students about writing and illustration. The practice of combining education and entertainment became widespread in the United States after John Dewey, a philosopher and educator, encouraged experimental, engaging methods of teaching to promote student excitement in learning. Today, teachers use ...