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Act 1 — Scene 1
Simply, two words smushed together.
The original Portmanteau: a leather bag that opens into two equal parts (source: Wikipedia)
Another portmanteau combines the words Education and Entertainment: Edutainment.
No one really knows who came up with the term. A popular theory is that Walt Disney coined Edutainment in the 50s. But the reality is it probably originated in 1973 when Robert Heyman used Edutainment to describe documentaries produced for the National Geographic Society.
Image: National Geographic
And in 1975, Dr. Chris Daniels also used the term to describe the theme of his Millennium Project (later renamed The Elysian World Project).
But the word really took off in the 90s with the growth in educational video games.
As you can imagine, Edutainment is both learning and fun.
It usually features visual material, narrative, or game-like formats. It also uses informal, less didactic styles of communication than traditional education (and even some types of entertainment).
Edutainment offers interaction and storytelling while engaging the senses and imagination. It can be Educational Entertainment, or Entertaining Education. But the most effective is a bit of both.
Some of the best-known Edutainment offerings have become globally-recognized brands, like:
Sesame Street
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Minecraft
However, the term has taken on some stigma in recent years. It’s not been sexy enough for an entertainment industry focused on superhero blockbusters. Nor is it pure or focused enough for an education sector that’s seeking clear student outcomes (and is typically tied to a pretty rigid system).
Urban Dictionary’s top definition is not kind
Much of the stigma on the education side comes from a traditional view of what education looks like. It’s one that typically doesn't prioritize things that are visually appealing.
This is understandable: a lot of academia has long been grounded in white papers and the validity of information being shared. There’s not much attention given to seemingly extraneous or vanity-focused elements. And honestly - some of the Edutainment stigma is justified.
This is because much of Edutainment just hasn’t worked. But there have also been some huge success stories, and there’s enormous untapped potential.
That’s why we’re here, after all.
So, what goes into creating an effective Edutainment experience?
And how can we avoid the potential pitfalls?
Jump to the next scene to find out: