The technology tree
A metaphor that gamers are very familiar with is that of a technology tree.
In strategy games, a tech tree represents your character's or your civilization's progress, and paths towards distinct futures.
As a visual construct, tech trees communicate:
- what you've achieved so far
- the options available to you, given your current tools
- a pathway to options currently unavailable
More subtly, the tree conveys that the territory is known, and every location upon it is reachable.
What the tree doesn't specify is strategy. The means and logistics of reaching a goal are up to you
Learning and technology trees.
School spends little time in developing a narrative about why students learn what they learn.
Technology trees are powerful narrative tools. They describe the effort made in the past, the present tools available, and all possibilities of the future. And thus, they will find application in helping learners raise their ambitions and set their sights on learning goals.
In time, technology trees will come to replace the "syllabus" as we know it.