EDUCATING THROUGH PLAY: AN AI GAME FRAMEWORK FOR SAFEGUARDING AND TEACHING FOLK TRADITIONS

The blistering shift to the digitalization of the contemporary society has greatly changed the conventional ways of cultural transmission, and the intergenerational maintenance of the existence of the folk traditions gradually declined. Although digital archives and multimedia documents are helpful in preservation of intangible cultural heritage, they are frequently less interactive in nature, as well as not adaptively pedagogic. This paper suggests an AI-based Game Framework that will preserve and educate folk cultures by means of adaptive, play-based learning. The framework combines structured cultural knowledge representation, adaptive gameplay based on the reinforcement learning system, interactive storytelling based on Natural Language Processing and multiplex assessment analytics into one architectural model. A Cultural Knowledge Engine ciphers narrative, rituals, dance patterns, music patterns, and craft processes into modules of ontology, where authenticity and contextual integrity are guaranteed. An AI Adaptation Engine is a dynamically adjusted mission and narrative progression, which personalizes the difficulty of the missions and the narrative through real-time player modelling. Gameplay mechanics Experiential gameplay mechanics are a way to turn cultural elements into the form of a quest, rhythmic challenges, gesture activities, and a morally oriented decision-making. To avoid such misrepresentation, the system has ethical AI protection measures such as validation of cultural sensitivity and bias tracking systems. The implementation and comparative testing of prototypes prove the increased engagement with learners, their retention of knowledge, and cognitive awareness in contrast to the traditional forms of instruction. The findings reveal that adaptive intelligence combined with play-based pedagogy improves cognitive and affective aspects of cultural education. The developed framework has a contribution to the digital heritage preservation by offering a shift towards passive, but instead intelligent, participatory, and scalable cultural learning environments.