Description:
Sustainability board games introduce students to a variety of sustainability related topics. The games are all in English:
- The DILEMMA board game challenges students to go outside their comfort zone, to discuss and debate on sustainability-related dilemmas, think critically, as well as explain key sustainability concepts to each other. Aalto has 5 Dilemma board games, optimum number of students / game = 6 (3 pairs).
- IN THE LOOP ® presents today’s resource-related challenges in a fun and engaging way and triggers players to find solutions. The students “excavate” minerals, produce products out of them and face sudden global events that force them to change their production strategies. They learn about critical minerals and challenges related to resources. Aalto has 5 games, optimum number of students / game = 8 (4 pairs).
- Fishbanks gives participants a demonstration of the concept of the tragedy of the commons, an introduction to systems thinking, and trains strategic decision making. Students own fishing companies, purchase fishing boats, face overfishing, negotiations with other companies on fishing quotas and finally, may end up in an ecosystem collapse. The game includes online files as a part of the facilitator's package. Aalto has 1 game, optimum number of students / game = 30-50 (in small groups).
- Clime Out is a board game about Earth’s climate system and climate change. Teams compete and challenge each other in three different types of duels. (Descriptions are applied from here.) Aalto has 6 games, optimum number of students / game = 6 (3 pairs).
The board games are purchased from Snowflake Education and are available for Aalto’s teachers free of charge. Complementary online material is available for each game, including ready-made game-specific PowerPoint -slides, videos and tasks for students to prepare and orient to the game (pre-assignments) and to apply the game’s topic to own field after playing (post-assignment). All material is editable. Teachers may purchase a licence to this material from Snowflake education (charge based on number of students playing, approximately 15€/student).The material is provided through Snowflake learning platform (tasks, submission, assessment), which can be embedded to MyCourses easily.
Possible learning outcomes: Depending on the game, they support learning on knowledge of sustainability, knowledge of climate change, polarised thinking, argumentation skills, systems thinking, strategic thinking, interpersonal competency, values thinking and critical thinking.
Possible assessment methods: Students can be assessed based on their pre- and post-assignments. In addition or as an option, students can be asked to reflect on their experience and learnings after the game (learning diary).
Type: Games are planned to be played offline (traditional board games), but online versions and set-ups exist for ClimeOut and Dilemma.
Ideal number of students: Games can be played with 30-40 students at the time.
Duration: Recommended time for actually playing a game is 90 minutes. However, the set-up provided by Snowflake education (Snowflake method) is based on a three-stepped flipped classroom: pre-assignments, game seminar (including short introduction, playing and debriefing) and a post-assignment. Running the whole set-up takes approximately 13-14 hours of study time, including 3-4 hours of contact teaching.
Aalto contact person: Meeri Karvinen ([email protected])
