Simulating Sustainability: The Role of Games and Simulations in Transforming Higher Education for Climate Action

Authors: Maddisen Nelson, April Roggio, Benjamin Sepello, Christian Simpson, Kevin Fletcher

SUNY Campus: University at Albany

Presentation Type: Poster

Location: UU 111

Presentation #: 63

Timeslot: Session B 10:15-11:15 AM

Abstract: Currently, a lack of both climate awareness and climate action exists amongst undergraduate student populations. Consequently, addressing complex sustainability challenges demands inventive approaches in higher education. The approaches we are focusing on in this work are experiential and transformative in nature. Do educational games and simulation-based methods effectively reshape sustainability education? Do they foster systems thinking, decision-making, and collaboration amongst students? This literature review analyzes the theoretical and practical foundations of simulations and related educational games as pedagogical tools and investigates how these methods cultivate essential skills for addressing environmental and social challenges. Further, we discuss how educational games and simulations may serve as mechanisms for more sweeping institutional change, driving engagement across academic disciplines and fostering crucial climate literacy in diverse academic contexts. Our review synthesizes evidence from recent studies to provide a framework for implementing simulations and educational gaming in sustainability education. This review also offers insights into the role of educational games and simulations as stimuli for transformation in higher education.