Games by which to learn and teach about sustainable development: exploring the relevance of games and experiential learning for sustainability |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Center for Sustainability and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Room M7-19, 3000 Dr Rotterdam, The Netherlands;2. The Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 311 Conference Center Building, Knoxville, TN, USA;1. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI, United States;2. Cool Choices, Madison WI, United States;3. Evergreen Economics Portland OR, United States;1. Department of Strategy, Marketing and Innovation, Kingston Business School, Kingston University, London, UK;2. Kingston Business School, Kingston University, Kingston Hill, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey KT2 7LB, UK;1. School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK;2. Erasmus Mundus Visiting Academic, School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK;3. Global Footprint Network, 18 Avenue Louis-Casai, 1219 Geneva, Switzerland;4. Ecodynamics Group, Department of Earth, Environmental and Physical Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini 44, 53100 Siena, Italy |
| |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses the roles of games in experiential learning for sustainability. It includes applied emphases upon four topics: (1) The challenges of sustainable development education with the need for interdisciplinarity, knowledge, skills and attitudinal training and with a special focus upon the urgent needs for paradigm, context and practice changes to help ensure that we make progress toward sustainable societies. We emphasize that these characteristics challenge existing teaching and educational philosophies and methods. (2) The theory of experiential learning, as developed by David Kolb in the nineteen eighties. We underscore that experiential learning is a good model for education for sustainability. (3) The usefulness of games as tools in learning processes. Various aspects of games are discussed such as the ‘functions of games’ and ‘the different categories of games,’ and ‘the role of games in learning and particular in experiential learning.’ These three aspects form the theoretical part of the paper. (4) Brief reviews of some illustrative games. The authors provide practical advice on how to play games in the context of learning for SD. They underscore facets such as the contextualization of games, technical aspects of playing games and the debriefing after the games have been played. The authors conclude the paper with conclusions that games are potentially relevant in all of the four learning phases of experiential learning. Games are especially relevant in phase four. In this phase games can contribute to helping learners to effect shifts in their personal paradigms, context and practice that are needed for sustainable development. The final conclusion is that many games exist and have been proven to be helpful. Educators are invited to change their curricula to facilitate usage of games as integral components of their educational philosophy tools and practice. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
