Managing Resources and Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Game-Based Learning to Achieve Zero Emission Farms

Abstract

Farming and agriculture have been identified as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Climate calculators have been developed to help farmers assess the amount of greenhouse gas emissions for specific activities. Despite the possibilities to calculate emissions and concerns about climate change and reduction of emissions, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the trade-offs related to specific resources and taking specific actions. More importantly, there is a need to understand the impacts of taking a specific action, resource use and how to manage emissions over time to achieve zero emission farming. In this paper, we describe two game concepts based on a climate calculator that is used to teach students in an agriculture school. The aim of the games is to engage students and to enhance the understanding of the consequences of actions in farming and agriculture, and to manage the resources to achieve zero emission farms efficiently. The learning goal for the first game is to understand the greenhouse gas emissions and the consequences of taking an action or a combination of actions. The learning goal of the second game is to manage the greenhouse gas emissions in a farm over time through the use of available resources. The game mechanic virtual currency is used as points that the player has to manage, and it aims to encourage players to learn trade-offs in managing a farm and the available resources. Both game concepts use cards to represent actions and the consequences of actions are calculated as greenhouse gas emissions using a climate calculator. Both games are designed as digital games, in collaboration with an expert and a teacher from an agriculture school. The game concepts have been evaluated by the expert.