Play, Learn, Empower: A Design Model of Student Engagement in Environmental Education

Abstract

Amid the largely underrecognized and escalating textile waste crisis, this study explores student engagement in active, experiential learning for sustainability and personal responsibility. We developed Aftermath, an educational board game co-designed with students to raise awareness via accessible, design- and play-based learning. In Phase One, eight students contributed to 14 participatory design workshops guided by the Stanford Design Thinking framework (Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test). Iterative cycles began with empathy, focusing on everyday players navigating sustainability challenges and communities experiencing environmental injustice. In the define phase, we identified the core problem, its consequences, and the target audience. During ideation, participants reviewed existing board games and generated novel concepts for theme, mechanics, and content. Prototypes were refined through sketching, digital tools, and multiple rounds of testing to enhance clarity, inclusivity, and engagement. The process culminated in a renewed focus on empathy and defining, establishing the game's name, Aftermath, and articulating its educational, pro-environmental aims. Each workshop concluded with qualitative group reflections, in which participants shared insights gained, changes in perspective, and recommendations for the ongoing development of the game’s design and pedagogical value. As the game design evolved from competitive to cooperative, so did the participants: shifting from passive learners to active co-creators throughout cycles of play, learning, and empowerment. Data from group discussions and reflective narratives demonstrated that collaborative design fostered critical reflection on individual roles within larger systems, increasing awareness and encouraging more mindful consumption practices in daily life. Phase Two later expanded participation, engaging 13 high school students in an exploration of textile waste, gameplay, and the design process. Working in teams, students created their original board games addressing the issue of textile waste, reinforcing knowledge through creative, hands-on learning. The educational game design process became a catalyst for behavioural change and environmental responsibility. This work indicates that design thinking in education not only solves problems but also fosters imagination, agency, and collective action. Through play, participants gained not only sustainability knowledge, but the ability to rethink and reshape their communities for a more sustainable future.