Sustainability Competencies in Serious Games - Implementing existing research into educational game development for sustainability
(2022) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20221LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Serious Games have gained increased attention in sustainability education. I developed a Serious Game that aims to increase sustainability competencies related to water problems among university students. I applied socio-constructivist learning theory to investigate how sustainability competency can be operationalised in learning outcomes and how these can be translated into game elements. Methodologically, I followed an educational game development structure, including several rounds of playtesting and assessments. Further, translating the learning outcomes into game elements was made possible through a mix of several approaches of different strength. Results showed that sustainability competency remains vague, which requires substantial... (More)
- Serious Games have gained increased attention in sustainability education. I developed a Serious Game that aims to increase sustainability competencies related to water problems among university students. I applied socio-constructivist learning theory to investigate how sustainability competency can be operationalised in learning outcomes and how these can be translated into game elements. Methodologically, I followed an educational game development structure, including several rounds of playtesting and assessments. Further, translating the learning outcomes into game elements was made possible through a mix of several approaches of different strength. Results showed that sustainability competency remains vague, which requires substantial reflection on the theoretical and methodological choices. The game was received very positively from testers, both from an enjoyment and an educational perspective. Results from observations and pre- and post-testing showed learning in almost all sustainability competencies. In combination with another teaching form and more playtime, learning could be enhanced. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Teaching for sustainability requires new methods of teaching that do not only transfer knowledge, but also enable learners to act. Sustainability competency has emerged as a term to describe skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to solve sustainability issues. In this thesis I explore how to develop a board game that fosters such sustainability competencies. I do this by combining theoretical considerations regarding sustainability competency with various approaches to educational game design to create a prototype game. I chose water issues in northeast Germany to exemplify sustainability problems. The resulting game allowed learners to try out different adaptation measures to change the local water cycle. Testing showed that the game... (More)
- Teaching for sustainability requires new methods of teaching that do not only transfer knowledge, but also enable learners to act. Sustainability competency has emerged as a term to describe skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to solve sustainability issues. In this thesis I explore how to develop a board game that fosters such sustainability competencies. I do this by combining theoretical considerations regarding sustainability competency with various approaches to educational game design to create a prototype game. I chose water issues in northeast Germany to exemplify sustainability problems. The resulting game allowed learners to try out different adaptation measures to change the local water cycle. Testing showed that the game increases knowledge about the water cycle and adaptation measures and highlights the importance of participation and the complexity behind sustainability problems. While more research is needed regarding the theoretical link between gameplay and learning mechanics, this thesis was successful in finding a way to integrate various sustainability competencies into game design. This can be used by other educational game designers to design games for sustainability issues beyond water-related topics. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9086181
- author
- Lachmann, Larissa LU
- supervisor
-
- Darin Wahl LU
- organization
- course
- MESM02 20221
- year
- 2022
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Serious Games, ESD, Sustainability competencies, water, educational game design, educational games, sustainability science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2022:035
- language
- English
- id
- 9086181
- date added to LUP
- 2022-06-10 09:03:06
- date last changed
- 2022-06-10 09:03:06
@misc{9086181,
abstract = {{Serious Games have gained increased attention in sustainability education. I developed a Serious Game that aims to increase sustainability competencies related to water problems among university students. I applied socio-constructivist learning theory to investigate how sustainability competency can be operationalised in learning outcomes and how these can be translated into game elements. Methodologically, I followed an educational game development structure, including several rounds of playtesting and assessments. Further, translating the learning outcomes into game elements was made possible through a mix of several approaches of different strength. Results showed that sustainability competency remains vague, which requires substantial reflection on the theoretical and methodological choices. The game was received very positively from testers, both from an enjoyment and an educational perspective. Results from observations and pre- and post-testing showed learning in almost all sustainability competencies. In combination with another teaching form and more playtime, learning could be enhanced.}},
author = {{Lachmann, Larissa}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
title = {{Sustainability Competencies in Serious Games - Implementing existing research into educational game development for sustainability}},
year = {{2022}},
}