«PLAY»
One of the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda, conceived as a “plan to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all,” highlights the need for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. The increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, resulting from the burning of fossil fuels, has affected the flow of energy into and out of the Earth’s climate system. Five goals are related to this target, including goal 13.3, which states: “Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning.”
The PLAY project aims to address this need by using an innovative and engaging approach to empower young learners, providing them with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the seriousness of climate change and the changes needed to make a difference. The positive effects of using methodologies such as gamification and game-based learning have already been demonstrated, as they increase people’s attention, motivation, and engagement in a playful and informal environment. Video games have become one of the most powerful entertainment media on the planet, capturing the attention of millions of young people, so why not address urgent global challenges through them?
As stated in the European Communication on the Green Deal, schools play an important role in raising awareness among young people and the community on this issue. They also act as catalysts for promoting the changes needed to save our planet. The PLAY project was born from the need to educate young people to care for the environment and become aware of the short- and long-term consequences of our actions. Adolescents are the citizens of the future and will also be the ones most affected by the changes taking place due to human activities. If they learn to prioritize the right things, they will be able to make the right decisions.
Attracting young students and getting them interested in such a difficult topic can be quite a challenge. That’s why we decided to use video games that have a more understandable language for young people. We also want to give students an active role in the practical development of a tool that will be used to teach their classmates about climate change and how it can be prevented. At the same time, the project will contribute to the development of new technological teaching methods that will promote the development of digital skills.
According to DigCompOrg: “Digital technologies are being incorporated in exciting and promising ways at all levels of education. To consolidate progress and ensure scale and sustainability, educational institutions must review their organizational strategies to enhance their capacity for innovation and harness the full potential of digital technologies and content” (DigCompOrg, p. 4). This means that educational institutions must align their digital education offerings and make them as engaging, attractive, creative, and inclusive as possible for their students.
Project objectives
The expected results of this project are:
- the development of a video game focused on climate change, its effects, and our role in this process.
- The creation of a toolkit to help other schools replicate the project.
When designing the project, we also focused on another important aspect: developing digital skills in young people. Therefore, the association’s students will contribute to the development of the video game using Unity 3D.
1. Video game
The first activity planned for the project is the development of a 3D video game using the Unity 3D platform. The programming language used will be C#. The objective of the game is to interact with the different game environments to raise awareness about the waste of resources and bad habits that contribute to climate change and pollution, such as lack of recycling, driving instead of using public transport, walking or cycling, excessive use of plastics, food waste, excessive use of water and paper, meat consumption, and prolonged use of devices. Through the game, students can practically see the consequences of the unnecessary and harmful actions we perform daily and, at the same time, be given alternative ecological solutions.
The game aims to demonstrate the extent to which we contribute to global warming and teach people how to live more environmentally friendly lives. Students (20 in each pair) will each develop three scenarios, for example, the interiors of a house, a supermarket, a farm, a factory, etc. Players will move their characters and interact with the various objects included in the room, which will provide them with:
– a detailed description of the energy and resource consumption derived from the featured object or practice;
– a greener alternative to reduce environmental impact;
– a blank space where the player can add suggestions and solutions.
The game will be played in English, but it will be translated into all the association’s languages.
2. Tool set
The second activity planned by the PLAY project is a toolkit that will provide comprehensive guidance on how to structure and replicate the project itself. It will be divided into two parts: methodological guidelines and a theoretical and practical manual on how to program in C# and use Unity 3D. The first half will address the pedagogical principles on which the project is based, the educational value of using a technology-centered approach (from an educational and pedagogical perspective), and the objectives and expected results. The second part will address the development of the video game itself. It will provide a detailed description of the Unity 3D platform, its uses and potential, as well as an introduction to how to create code using the C# programming language. Some lines of code used in the video game developed by the PLAY participants will be included in the toolkit as a practical example.
The manual will be written in English and translated into the other languages of the association to enhance its dissemination in several countries. This resource will be available in print and online to reach a wider audience. In particular, its digital version will be sent to stakeholders and institutions that may be interested in the project and could implement it or provide support for its implementation. It will also be stored as an online resource for reference and support.
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