Edutainment is not a new term.  I've been informed that it's been around in museums for a number of years.  It's meaning and implications are debatable.
Does education have to be entertaining?  No.  Does it have the potential to be?  Yes.  To what extent do we want it to be...that depends on your notion of entertaining.
Overall there is a strong trend towards making exhibits more interactive.  As discussed at a recent SLi professional development seminar, this does not necessarily mean having more buttons to push and lights flashing.  It should, however, entail engaging the visitor in a richer, more meaningful way than simply having objects with labels.  
I certainly share your concern and hope that your new science center will not be merely an arcade with a scientific slant.
Jodi
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From:   George Bauer[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Wednesday, October 01, 1997 10:31 AM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: edutainment

         
Is "edutainment" another of those new buzz words?  It sounds as if education
can't get its job done unless it is entertaining.  Extrapolating, is it
something like education must copy MTV to get its job done?  Will somebody
explain the concept for me?

I guess I ask this because Kansas City is in the process of developing what
they like to call a Science Center, but which more honestly is called a
Children's Museum, where kids can come and flip switches and press buttons
to be entertained.  And some highup curator type said that was where Museums
were going.  Are Museums turning into entertainment centers for kids?  Do I
exaggerate?

Help!

george

===========================

>     Museum News devoted an issue to "edutainment' fall 94 (?).  About that
>     same time, the Museum Education Roundtable hosted a day-long workshop
>     ion the topic.  The American Association of Museums is the resource
>     for the magazine, Museum Education Roundtable (202) 547-8378, for the
>     session.  As you can imagine, there are lots of other edutainment
>     resources out there, but these are good points of departure.
>
>     Angie Dodson
>     Curator of Education
>     The Octagon
>     Washington, DC
>     202.626.7374
>     [log in to unmask]
>
>
>______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
>Subject: edutainment
>Author:  Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> at AIA_INTERNET
>Date:    9/30/97 10:48 AM
>
>
>Hi everybody,
>
>I am a student in the Masters of Museology at the University of Montreal
>and I am doing a project on edutainment in museums:  Is this the way to
>the futuree.
>
>I would really appreciate your input on this topic.  Also if anyone knows
>of sources-- articles, books-- which discuss edutainment, I would really
>appreciate if you could let me about them.
>
>Thank you very much
>Danielle Dugas
>[log in to unmask]
>
>