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In many urban areas, green spaces are not readily available to be used as tools in educating children about the environment and conservation. This can be difficult for parents who want to introduce their children to conservation topics. If you are a parent of a child aged 8+ and are struggling with unavailable green space, this page is for you! This page explores the benefits of game-based learning as an alternative to outdoor learning, and lists some games for conservation education that you can use at home with your children.
What is Game-Based Learning?
Game-based learning: The designing of learning activities that are intrinsically game-like.
Some resources to learn more about game-based learning:
Rebecca McDonald
Rebecca McDonald
M.S., CPLC
Child Development Specialist
Organization: SavvyMinds*Handle With Care
Watch this interview with Rebecca to learn more about the benefits of game-based learning
Read below what research has to say about game-based learning:
Conservation-Based Games
Below we list some conservation-based games and review them (reviews are done by a secondary science teacher).
We also will categorize the game as more inspirational (the game helps inspire awe for wildlife/conservation) or more educational (the game will teach specific conservation concepts).
Wildeverse
Age: 9+
Cost: FREE
Purpose: to teach about daily life of wild apes and conservation efforts for them
Review: Wildeverse is a fun mobile game that allows the gamer to help collect data on wild apes through augmented reality with a mobile device. The game can be quick, and is still being developed so can have some lagging when played. As far as outcomes for children, this game is slightly more inspiring than educational. Children will be awed at seeing apes in their house but may not learn vast amounts on conservation.
Aquation Aquation Link
Age: 8+
Cost: FREE
Purpose: to teach about water distribution, water conservation, and water equity
Review: Aquation is a game created and hosted by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. In this game the gamer can research areas, form alliances/research partners, build water pipelines, desalination plants, and more. Meanwhile the game continues to throw a wrench in progress through sandstorms, monsoons, and more that cause the gamer to need to restrategize. We STRONGLY suggest playing the tutorial before playing the game, or it will be very easy to get lost. Overall this game is more educational than inspirational.
Dumptown Dumptown Link
Age: 12+
Cost: FREE
Purpose: to teach about waste reduction programs
Review: Dumptown initially looks like a simple game, but once you start playing, it is an extremely informative game all about waste reduction. To play you are given a list of 9 different programs and each has extensive information for you to read about (hence the 12+ age for game). You can implement the programs and observe the changes in the town. The game shows you, in tons per day, waste generation as well as waste recovered due to implemented programs. Overall this game is incredibly educational.
Block'hood Block'hood link
Age: 12+
Cost: $14.99
Purpose: to teach about a balanced urban ecosystem
Review: block''hood is a promising game that can help children understand the idea of balance when using available resources. The game shows what is available, the gamer uses resources to build up their cities, and if the gamer does not practice sustainable use of resources and city-building, pollution and decay will build up. As well, the game is still in development which means over time it will get better/easier to use. As far as outcomes for children, this game is more educational than inspiring.
Eco
Age: 14+
Cost: $25.49
Purpose: to teach about balance between humans and nature
Review: Eco is an amazing game even though it is in the early stages of development. In this game, the gamer will need to build a civilization from scratch that has the technology to stop an incoming meteor from destroying earth. However, the gamer must also be sure to not destroy the earth themselves while building up their civilization. It is truly a game that teaches balance between human activities and the natural world--and it dives deep into this. The gamers don't just work with resources--they also work politically in the game by analyzing data on current environmental impact, running through political elections and enacting laws on conservation. The gamer can even create protected wildlife regions. Overall, this game is BOTH inspirational and educational. We love it!
Fate of the World
Age: 10+
Cost: $9.99
Purpose: to teach about climate disasters/balance of earth and sustainability
Review: Fate of the World is similar to Eco. However, in Fate of the World, disasters are already happening due to human carelessness and lack of conservation/sustainability with resources. (Note that this game was released in 2011 and in the game it is 2022--The game was developed based on projections made in 2011 for the state of the world in 2022). In the game, the gamer has been chosen as the decision-maker and is given 'challenges' such as 'water crisis', 'save the amazon', 'oil crisis' and must fix each problem as it arises while still providing for the growing population of the world. Like Eco, this game is inspiring and educational.
Sources
Sources
Images:
https://www.wildeversegame.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/416210/Blockhood/
https://www3.epa.gov/recyclecity/games.htm
https://store.steampowered.com/app/382310/Eco/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/80200/Fate_of_the_World/
https://ssec.si.edu/sites/default/files/games/Aquation/index.html
Research Mentions (google slide):
J. Huizenga,W. Admiraal,S. Akkerman,G. ten Dam (2009). “Mobile Game-Based Learning in Secondary Education: Engagement, Motivation and Learning in a Mobile City Game”. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 25(4):332-344
Mahmood H. Hussein, Siew Hock Ow, Loh Sau Cheong, Keong Tong, and Nader Ebrahim (2019). ““Effects of Digital Game-Based Learning on Elementary Science Learning: A Systematic Review” IEEE ACCESS Multidisciplinary Open Access Journal 7:2169-3536
Tobias, S., Fletcher, J.D., Wind, A.P. (2014). Game-Based Learning. In: Spector, J., Merrill, M., Elen, J., Bishop, M. (eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, New York, NY.
Zi-Yu Liu, Zaffar Ahmed Shaikh, and Farida Gazizova (2020). ““Using the Concept of Game-Based Learning in Education” International Journal of Engineering and Technology 15(14).
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