Exploring Sustainability Through Board Game Design as a Learning Approach in Schools

Abstract

Sustainability and environmental education aiming to foster a nuanced understanding of environmental
sustainability is receiving growing attention in schools. Simultaneously, board games have gained popularity as a pedagogical
tool in primary and lower secondary education, especially in design-based approaches where students engage in iterative
prototyping and developing games with various mechanics. This study explores the potentials and pitfalls of integrating board
game design processes into sustainability education, focusing on how students engage with environmental issues through
various game mechanics. The study uses principles from Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as a framework to
understand students’ development of systems thinking, anticipatory thinking and problem-solving. The paper is based on a
pilot study conducted in 2024 at a school in Copenhagen, using a Design-Based Research approach. The study involved
students aged 12-15 redesigning board games to explore oceanic climate challenges. Through a six-weeks iterative process
inspired by design thinking processes, students analysed games to develop game literacy while progressing through phases
of inquiry, interpretation, ideation, prototyping and testing. The empirical data consists of field notes and photos from
observations of the students’ design processes. Furthermore, we conducted workshops and interviews with selected
teachers. The theoretical framework draws on game theory, design-oriented approaches and creativity. The analysis
highlights potentials and challenges in students’ engagement with board game prototyping, particularly in balancing
educational content, aesthetic expression, and functional game mechanics. The three redesigned game: Pictionary, Dixit,
and Ego, each demonstrated specific affordances for supporting sustainability-related learning, including perspective-taking,
emotional engagement, and values-based reflection. However, the process also revealed a need to explicitly support iterative
work, as many students struggled with revisiting and refining their prototypes, often aiming for polished products rather
than engaging in open-ended experimentation. Based on the analysis, the paper presents a series of design principles aimed
at using board game design as an approach to working with ESD in schools.