DOI
10.1080/03098265.2018.1554629

Summary
This paper is concerned with the use of environmental systems games created for their use in energy and water learning activities. Two games used for this study are computer simulations with difficulty settings available for adjustment. The third game is a peer-to-peer role playing game designed for in-class use. The games are described by (1) overall strategy, (2) the manner of play in the classroom setting, (3) scientific literature in conceptualising and parameterising the games, and (4) possible game extensions.




Game 1 Energy Simulation - http://www.fastswf.com/YANDVSg<br />
The objective of this game is to design an energy plan for the U.S through 2050 to meet four objectives: (1) supply U.S. energy needs in three sectors (electricity, vehicle fuel and heating), (2) within a budget, (3) while reducing reliance on increasingly scarce oil, and (4) reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Students play this simulation by altering units of energy options within the various sectors and as they do so will see graphs change relative to their decisions. A screenshot of the game is presented in figure 1.

 

Game 2 Water Simulation-  http://www.fastswf.com/<br />
This game is concerned with the allocation of water resource and associated stakeholders of the resource. Students are required to make various decisions that result in various consequences. Players can choose to make investments or sell rights to water use and deal with opportunity costs as they do so. An visual example of the game is delivered in figure 2.

 

Game 3 Peer-to-peer Role Playing

 

The game includes the management of water with various stakeholders with the potential for trading in a quasai-market context. Each student is given a role to play (examples in table 4.0 Roles are given descriptions or characteristics detailing their various goals, ages and sometimes retirement scenarios. The teacher allocates a limited supply of water to the scenario and participants are required to budget their use over the period of a year. The students are forced to deal with hydraulic uncertainties, interest rates, reallocation transaction costs and economies of scale for marginal costs of conservation.

 

The class was subjected to a pre- and post-activity test questions. The positive results are detailed in table 6.

Relevance for Complex Systems Knowledge
This study relevant to the teaching and learning activities on sustainability of energy systems. 3 games have been detailed and discussed for their ability to contribute to the learning environment by creating a simulation with specific real-word situations and their respective feedback processes. The use of real-world context for these games provides students with a more meaningful experience in the learning of energy sustainability.

The improvements of energy systems understanding is demonstrated in table 6.

The games encourage participants to engage with systems thinking in an experiential manner. They facilitate discussion among participants whilst developing group work skills such as debating and compromise.

Point of Strength
The study as a whole is aligned with the COSY objectives in the sense that these games offer new opportunities for teaching systems thinking in an interactive manner. It is possible that the game theory could be realigned with another teaching objective also.


The pre- and post-activity survey could be utilised for another study.