Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach
Climate change is a highly complex social-ecological problem characterized by system-type dynamics that are important to communicate in a variety of settings, ranging from formal education to decision makers to informal education of the general public. Educational games are one approach that may enh...
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Resilience Alliance
2021
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12425-260225 https://doaj.org/article/0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 2023-05-15T14:54:20+02:00 Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach Tanya O'Garra Diana Reckien Stephanie Pfirman Elizabeth Bachrach Simon Grace H. Bachman Jessica Brunacini Joey J. Lee 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12425-260225 https://doaj.org/article/0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 EN eng Resilience Alliance https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol26/iss2/art25/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-12425-260225 https://doaj.org/article/0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 Ecology and Society, Vol 26, Iss 2, p 25 (2021) arctic climate change fuzzy cognitive mapping polar regions serious games systems thinking Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12425-260225 2022-12-31T11:23:45Z Climate change is a highly complex social-ecological problem characterized by system-type dynamics that are important to communicate in a variety of settings, ranging from formal education to decision makers to informal education of the general public. Educational games are one approach that may enhance systems thinking skills. This study used a randomized controlled experiment to compare the impact on the mental models of participants of an educational card game vs. an illustrated article about the Arctic social-ecological system. A total of 41 participants (game: n = 20; reading: n = 21) created pre- and post-intervention mental models of the system, based on a "fuzzy cognitive mapping" approach. Maps were analyzed using network statistics. Both reading the article and playing the game resulted in measurable increases in systems understanding. The group reading the article perceived a more complex system after the intervention, with overall learning gains approximately twice those of the game players. However, game players demonstrated similar learning gains as article readers regarding the climate system, actions both causing environmental problems and protecting the Arctic, as well as the importance of the base- and mid-levels of the food chain. These findings contribute to the growing evidence showing that games are important resources to include as strategies for building capacity to understand and steward sustainable social-ecological systems, in both formal and informal education. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Ecology and Society 26 2 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
arctic climate change fuzzy cognitive mapping polar regions serious games systems thinking Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
arctic climate change fuzzy cognitive mapping polar regions serious games systems thinking Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 Tanya O'Garra Diana Reckien Stephanie Pfirman Elizabeth Bachrach Simon Grace H. Bachman Jessica Brunacini Joey J. Lee Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
topic_facet |
arctic climate change fuzzy cognitive mapping polar regions serious games systems thinking Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Climate change is a highly complex social-ecological problem characterized by system-type dynamics that are important to communicate in a variety of settings, ranging from formal education to decision makers to informal education of the general public. Educational games are one approach that may enhance systems thinking skills. This study used a randomized controlled experiment to compare the impact on the mental models of participants of an educational card game vs. an illustrated article about the Arctic social-ecological system. A total of 41 participants (game: n = 20; reading: n = 21) created pre- and post-intervention mental models of the system, based on a "fuzzy cognitive mapping" approach. Maps were analyzed using network statistics. Both reading the article and playing the game resulted in measurable increases in systems understanding. The group reading the article perceived a more complex system after the intervention, with overall learning gains approximately twice those of the game players. However, game players demonstrated similar learning gains as article readers regarding the climate system, actions both causing environmental problems and protecting the Arctic, as well as the importance of the base- and mid-levels of the food chain. These findings contribute to the growing evidence showing that games are important resources to include as strategies for building capacity to understand and steward sustainable social-ecological systems, in both formal and informal education. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Tanya O'Garra Diana Reckien Stephanie Pfirman Elizabeth Bachrach Simon Grace H. Bachman Jessica Brunacini Joey J. Lee |
author_facet |
Tanya O'Garra Diana Reckien Stephanie Pfirman Elizabeth Bachrach Simon Grace H. Bachman Jessica Brunacini Joey J. Lee |
author_sort |
Tanya O'Garra |
title |
Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
title_short |
Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
title_full |
Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
title_fullStr |
Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
title_sort |
impact of gameplay vs. reading on mental models of social-ecological systems: a fuzzy cognitive mapping approach |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12425-260225 https://doaj.org/article/0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Climate change |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change |
op_source |
Ecology and Society, Vol 26, Iss 2, p 25 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol26/iss2/art25/ https://doaj.org/toc/1708-3087 1708-3087 doi:10.5751/ES-12425-260225 https://doaj.org/article/0c791512560b450a9974209fc3f910d6 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-12425-260225 |
container_title |
Ecology and Society |
container_volume |
26 |
container_issue |
2 |
_version_ |
1766326039328325632 |