Find The How, Face Any What

Could this be the future of learning?

a baby dressed as a superhero solves an impossible equation on a digital board, sleek, futuristic art — by DALL·E

In My Family And Other Animals, Gerald Durrell explains he was a helpless student until his private tutor realised his only interest was nature. After that, all the tutor had to do was wrap every other subject around his obsession-bordering interest. He could teach mathematics by explaining the rate at which an animal reproduced, or ask him what prey and how many of them another animal would need to hunt daily given a particular need. Geography could revolve around the species that lived in each region, drawing the creatures in their respective countries on a blank map. History, language, and every other prescribed subject were treated similarly. The trick worked, and it would still work today.

On the other hand, in open-world, group games, players seek themes that interest them more than specific game mechanics. Whether online or around a table, the AI or game master will have to adapt to the group or risk obsolescence. Indeed, I remember being frustrated by video games that would constantly resort to action and battle scenes with little story development. I might have been intrigued by the story, and eager to learn more, but I had to kill monsters before receiving any answers to my lingering questions. Conversely, games that relied on puzzle and mystery solving often gripped me from the onset, tensing and…