GU has a bit part on Wright’s comments from SxSW:
I went to Montessori school till 5th grade, and Maria Montessori, her idea was if you build toys and let kids play with them, they explore and discover the principles of the world around them by themselves.
The games I make I think of in those terms, very elaborate Montessori toys. How can we lead players to come across interesting ideas of philosophy and science. This can be understood as a philosophy tool, get you to think about meaning of life.
I think this an amazing way to think about “toys” and the “learning objects” that we create to help support courses. They can be really basic, but they allow an exploration of a concept. Think about a box for a baby (I know as my nephew is currently in his box phase); it teaches in and out, hidden and visible, higher and lower. Now I know this is not as easy to do with something like wave physics, but the “cool little” experiments that many of us see at science exhibitions or in “Shopping mall science” are probably a good starting place for these little toys.
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