I am building a MUD that will have the standard hack and slash of other MUDs but will also be heavily geared towards quests. Some quests will be simple like you would find in World of Warcraft. For example, go kill 15 warthogs for their skins and bring them back for 8 gold. That kind of thing. Other quests will be much more involved. Some explore areas will only be accessible via quests and you will have had to pass a certain level in, say, math or physics in order to have the knowledge to complete the quest. "Learning" is not such foreign concept for smart classes. So the smarter classes will likely be the ones taking classes on say physics and mathematics and the sciences. But I don't want to leave the less intelligent races out.
For humans, elves, and gnomes who have average to high intelligence and wisdom I see them excelling in mathematics, physics, sciences, etc. These skills could be used to complete quests in any number of ways. For example, determine the volume of liquid needed to fill a certain container so that it weighs exactly enough to trigger a system of weights and pulleys (calculus and physics). But what about dwarves, minotaurs, and giants whose stronger attributes are constitution and strength and not intelligence and wisdom? What could they learn in a collegiate setting that would allow them to contribute to quests or a group setting that required both intelligent races and stronger races? I imagine some kind of physics-based class where leverage and strength would be of use but that, again, would be too dependent on intelligence and take less advantage of their stronger attributes. Or a weapons based class. What could they learn or be taught that would appeal to Strength and Constitution?
I envision a school setting where the "smart" races are inside a class room studying and they can look outside and see the giants and dwarves working on projects like using a log and trying to figure out how to leverage it to move a huge boulder to gain access to a cave. But what kind of "lessons" would these be? What would a professor be "teaching" them? There will be dungeons where groups of players will have to work together to be successful. Smart races and strong races alike will be required for the group to succeed. I want an education system in place so that not only the smart races are required to "learn" things. The less intelligent races must also "take classes" so that they can contribute to a group setting.