Abstract
The current climate emergency demands innovative and participatory educational approaches to foster awareness and engagement. Serious games offer a way to bridge knowledge gaps, encourage participation, and enhance students thinking around climate education. This paper explores the potential of game-based learning, where a participatory serious game (Rooftops Reimagined) was designed as part of the EU and UKRI Horizon funded GREAT project (Games Realizing Effective and Affective Transformation) to engage participants in the complexities of urban sustainability through design. Using playful and dilemma-based learning principles in roleplay scenarios, Rooftops Reimagined immersed participants in decision-making scenarios where they negotiated environmental, economic, and social trade-offs related to rooftop greening. The study draws on data from 97 participants, including citizens, architects and design students, gathered through game sessions, surveys, observations and feedback sessions. Findings reveal that the approach fostered deeper empathy, strengthened problem-solving skills, and encouraged collaborative solutions to sustainability challenges. Additionally, the game’s interactive format made complex climate issues more accessible, particularly for younger audiences. This research highlights the value of serious games in design education and policy discourse, emphasizing the potential to cultivate critical thinking, engagement, and behavioral change. The study underscores the importance of playful participation in shaping more inclusive and participatory climate action strategies. By integrating game-based learning into urban sustainability, environmental and design education, educators and policymakers can create more impactful, experiential learning experiences that empower individuals to engage with climate challenges in meaningful ways.
Presenters
Anna MerryAssistant Professor, Department of Arts and Communication, Frederick University, Cyprus
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
DESIGN EDUCATION, SERIOUS GAMES, URBAN SUSTAINABILITY, PARTICIPATORY LEARNING, CLIMATE CHANGE
