Breaking boundaries in entertainment and learning

As societies change from industrial-based to knowledge-based economies, individuals are increasingly accessing lifelong and free-choice learning. In this context, entertainment - particularly media entertainment - provides an important source from which people can acquire information, develop ideas and construct new visions for themselves and their society. This paper seeks to explore the connections between education and entertainment, and contribute to a deeper understanding of conflicting theoretical arguments that have historically placed entertainment beyond the boundaries of valuable learning. By researching the mechanisms of pleasure and attraction of mass media, the paper suggests that the very nature of entertainment evokes optimal conditions to encourage engagement in learning, and indicates the need for further research in this area