Many have tried to have games provide learning and education. There is even a term, edutainment. The Economist reports on the extreme of having students from twelve to eighteen do nothing but participate in edutainment ventures. But their games include things such as role-playing Ancient Spartans or pyramid builders. I won't comment on the quality of such experiences, either for holding interest or providing education. But they are not here-and-now.
I believe participatory democracy provides a perfect educational medium. People making a decision on a health care issue (in lieu of a health insurance bureaucrat), learn about medicine. Individuals working on a budget learn the departments in the government. I read somewhere, but cannot quickly find it, that most people cannot name three Federal Departments.
High-school age students participating in sortition juries in a non-voting capacity as part of their education could earn voting rights early by showing they are thoughtful.
I will blog more on the relationship between education and participatory democracy.
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