Abstract
As the ecological threat to the long-term viability of human society has become more apparent, colleges and universities across the world have pledged their support for sustainability, using a mix of formal and informal approaches across curricular and non-curricular settings. Games should be prioritized among the various educational tools for sustainable development. A growing body of scholarship shows how game-based learning encourages metacognition, problem-solving, systems thinking, engagement, motivation, learning outcomes, and even emotional intelligence. This paper introduces a framework, called the Green Game Frame (GGF), that can be used to identify and select games to educate about sustainable development. The GGF visually represents how a sustainability game might create conditions that facilitate a switch from a sender-receiver model of education to a more interactive learner-centered approach. The GGF model draws on transdisciplinary research from multiple fields to identify essential variables in an effective game that will create the conditions for participants to be receptive to learn and engage in sustainability. This is demonstrated by using the GGF as an assessment tool to evaluate two sample games, Catan: Global Warming and New Shores: A Game for Democracy. This analysis will be useful to anyone who wishes to consider the use of games in educational contexts to teach about complex ecological problems and sustainability.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alsawaier RS (2018) The effect of gamification on motivation and engagement. Int J Inform Learn Technol 35(1):56–79. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-02-2017-0009
Ballew M, Goldberg M, Rosenthal S, Gustafson A, Leiserowitz A (2019) Systems thinking as a pathway to global warming beliefs and attitudes through an ecological worldview. PNAS 116(17):8214–8219. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1819310116
Bevilacqua M, Ciarapica FE, Mazzuto G, Paciarotti C (2015) Cook & Teach: learning by playing. J Clean Prod 106:259–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.11.085
Bogost I (2007) Persuasive games: the expressive power of videogames. MIT Press, Cambridge
Brigham TJ (2015) An introduction to gamification: adding game elements for engagement. Med Ref Serv Quart 34(4): 471–480. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2015.1082385
Castronova E, Knowles I (2015) Modding board games into serious games: the case of climate policy. Int J Serious Games 2(3):41–62. https://doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v2i3.77
Centre for Systems Solutions, in cooperation with Tandem n.o. and Rogers Foundation for Person-Centered Education (2017). New shores: a game for democracy. https://newshores.crs.org.pl/
Chappin EJL, Bijvoet Z, Oei A (2017) Teaching sustainability to a broad audience through an entertainment game–the effect of catan: oil springs. J Clean Prod 156:556–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.04.069
Chen J (2006) Flow in games. PhD diss., University of Southern California
Cheng M-T, Shet HC, Annetta LA (2015) Game immersion experience: its hierarchical structure and impact on game-based science learning. J Comput Assist Learn 31:232–253. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12066
Comunale MA (2017) Getting into the game: an explanatory case study to examine the experiences of faculty incorporating digital game based learning in higher education. PhD diss., Drexel University. Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (1914685963)
Csikszentmihályi (1997) Finding flow. Basic Books, New York
Cushman-Roisin B, Rice NJ, Moldaver M (2008) A simulation tool for industrial ecology: creating a board game. J Ind Ecol 3(4):131–143. https://doi.org/10.1162/108819899569601
Davis A, Stroink ML (2016) The relationship between systems thinking and the new ecological paradigm. Syst Res Behav Sci 33(4):575–586. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2371
Davis AC, Leppanen W, Mularczyk KP, Bedard T, Stroink ML (2018) Systems thinkers express an elevated capacity for the allocentric components of cognitive and affective empathy. Syst Res Behav Sci 35(2):216–229. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.2475
Dawson P, Henderson M, Mahoney P, Phillips M, Ryan T, Boud D, Molloy E (2019) What makes for effective feedback: staff and student perspectives. Assess Eval High Educ 44(1):25–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1467877
Dieleman H, Huisingh D (2006) Games by which to learn and teach about sustainable development: exploring the relevance of games and experiential learning for sustainability. J Clean Prod 14(9):837–847. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2005.11.031
Farber M (2018) Game-based learning in action: how an expert affinity group teaches with games. Peter Lang Publishing Inc., New York
Foltz A, Williams C, Gerson SA, Reynolds DJ, Pogoda S, Begum T, Walton SP (2019) Game developers’ approaches to communicating climate change. Front Commun 4:29. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2019.00028
Garris R, Ahlers R, Driskell JE (2002) Games, motivation, and learning: a research and practice model. Simul Gaming 33(4):441–467. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878102238607
Goldberg M, van der Linden S, Maibach E, Leiserowitz A (2019) Discussing global warming leads to greater acceptance of climate science. PNAS 116(30):14804–14805. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1906589116
Hearn F (1976) Toward a critical theory of play. Telos 1976(30):145160. https://doi.org/10.3817/1276030145
Huizinga J (1971) (reprint) Homo Ludens: a study of the play element in culture. Angelico Press, Takoma, WA
Illingworth S, Wake P (2019) Developing science tabletop games: catan and global warming. J Sci Commun 18(4):1824–2049. https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18040204
Kim S, Song K, Lockee B, Burton J (2018) Gamification in learning and education: enjoy learning like gaming. Springer, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47283-6
Klöckner CA (2015) The psychology of pro-environmental communication: beyond standard information strategies. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137348326
Kolb AY, Kolb DA (2010) Learning to play, playing to learn: a case study of a ludic learning space. J Organ Chang Manag 23(1):26–50. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534811011017199
Leal Filho W, Wu YCJ, Brandli LL, Avila LV, Azeiteiro UM, Caeiro S, da Rosa Gama LR (2017) Identifying and overcoming obstacles to the implementation of sustainable development at universities. J Integr Environ Sci 14(1):93–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/1943815X.2017.1362007
Lezak SB, Thibodeau PH (2016) Systems thinking and environmental concern. J Environ Psychol 46:143–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.04.005
Lozano R, Lukman R, Lozano FJ, Huisingh D, Lambrechts W (2013) Declarations for sustainability in higher education: becoming better leaders, through addressing the university system. J Clean Prod 48:10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.03.034
Maani KE, Maharaj V (2004) Links between systems thinking and complex decision making. Syst Dyn Rev 20(1):21–48. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.281
Mercer TG, Kythreotis AP, Robinson ZP, Stolte T, George SM, Haywood SK (2017) The use of educational game design and play in higher education to influence sustainable behaviour. Int J Sustain High Educ 18(3):359–384. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2015-0064
Meya J, Eisenack K (2018) Effectiveness of gaming for communicating and teaching climate change. Climatic Change 149:319–333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-018-2254-7
Nicholson S (2018) Creating engaging escape rooms for the classroom. Child Educ 94(1):44–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2018.1420363
Nicholson S (2013) Completing the experience: debriefing in experiential educational games. J Systemics, Cybern Inform 11(6): 27–31. https://doaj.org/article/54fad19f527244988702ca38d128c6c9
Nicholson S (2015) A recipe for meaningful gamification. In: Wood L, Reiners T (eds) Gamification in education and business. Springer, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10208-5_1
Ojala M (2017) Hope and climate change: the importance of hope for environmental engagement among young people. Environ Educ Res 18(5):625–642. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2016.10.004
Pappas E, Pierrakos O, Nagel R (2013) Using bloom’s taxonomy to teach sustainability in multiple contexts. J Clean Prod 48:54–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.09.039
Pivec M (2007) Editorial: play and learn: potentials of game-based learning. Br J Edu Technol 38(3):387–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00722.x
Powers R (1986) The commons game: teaching students about social dilemmas. J Environ Educ 17(2):4–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1986.9941402
Prensky M (2007) Digital game based learning. Paragon House, St. Paul, MN
Reckien D, Eisenack K (2013) Climate change gaming on board and screen: a review. Simul Gaming 44(2–3):253–271. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046878113480867
Salen K, Zimmerman E (2004) Rules of play: game design fundamentals. MIT Press, Cambridge
Sprain L, Timpson WM (2012) Pedagogy for sustainability science: case-based approaches for interdisciplinary instruction. Environ Commun 6(4):532–550. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2012.714394
Stanitsas M, Kirytopoulos K, Vareilles E (2019) Facilitating sustainability transition through serious games: a systematic literature review. J Clean Prod 208:924–936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.157
Tejedor G, Segalàs J, Rosas-Casals M (2018) Transdisciplinarity in higher education for sustainability: how discourses are approached in engineering education. J Clean Prod 175:29–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.085
Vervoot J, Mangnus A, McGreevy S, Ota K, Thompson K, Rupprecht C, Tamura N, Moossdorff C, Spiegelberg M, Kobayashi M (2022) Unlocking the potential of gaming for anticipatory governance. Earth System Governance 11:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esg.2021.100130
Wardrip-Fruin N (2009) Expressive processing: digital fictions, computer games, and software studies. MIT Press, Cambridge. https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/expressive-processing
Whitton N, Langan M (2019) Fun and games in higher education: an analysis of UK student perspectives. Teach High Educ 24(8):1000–1013. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2018.1541885
Wu JS, Lee JL (2015) Climate change games as tools for education and engagement. Nat Clim Change 5:413–418. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2566
Zhou J (2016) Boomerangs versus javelins: how polarization constrains communication on climate change. Environ Politics 25(5):788–811. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2016.1166602
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Boragine, L.H. (2023). Roll the Dice: Using Game-Based Learning to Teach Sustainability in Higher Education. In: Leal Filho, W., Lange Salvia, A., Pallant, E., Choate, B., Pearce, K. (eds) Educating the Sustainability Leaders of the Future. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22856-8_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22856-8_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-22855-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-22856-8
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)