Edutainment - Making Procrastination A Good Thing

Published on March 06, 2016

Few games in recent memory have been as prolific as Candy Crush. In addition to huge amounts of mobile users, there was a seemingly endless barrage of invites to play via social media. Candy Crush has been the number 3-ranked top grossing game for the past month. Every day, over 7 million users log on and contribute to the $900,094 of its estimated daily revenue, according to thinkgaming.com.

This is, of course, just one example of wildly popular online/mobile gaming. Digi-Capital issued a report on January 14th of this year in which they predicted the mobile/online gaming industry could be as big as $60 billion by 2017.

But what have these users received for their efforts? When you look at the numbers, they have invested massive amounts of time and money into an activity that has little potential to provide them with anything besides carpel tunnel and a huge bill at the end of the month.

New innovations are emerging with the intent of combining the entertaining qualities of mobile/online games with the benefits of informal learning. These products are part of the greater movement to revolutionize learning by making it more appealing, dubbed “edutainment”.

The concept isn’t new. Educators have been trying to make learning fun since Schoolhouse Rock! The innovation lies in combining this approach with gaming and social media culture.

One such game, Startup Alley, created by Pixlwise, teaches users the ins and outs of online marketing by simulating the tasks of a young marketer new to the job. At first, users cover basic marketing material, such as learning about proper imaging techniques for Facebook ads. As they progress through the levels, they learn about conversion techniques, image compliancy and other important information relevant to media buying.

While Startup Alley contains the usual elements that make games fun and addictive—level progression, point accumulation, and strategy—its built-in forum truly sets it apart as a learning resource. Maintained and updated by experts in the marketing field, it is where users go to ask specific questions they might have. It could well be described as the place where the playground meets the classroom.

The undeniable benefits that one receives from playing are the skills they learn. While virtual coins are fun to collect, their real value pales in comparison to the workable skillset that players of Startup Alley walk away with. By the time they have completed the game, players will know the language of media buying along with the techniques—enough to walk into an interview with confidence or start an entrepreneurial endeavor.

Games will always be popular on their own, but they can be an invaluable part of the education process as well. Smart gamers will capitalize on the opportunity to have fun and learn at the same time. After all, they stand a lot to gain.