Gamification In Environmental Education

Currently, one of the main challenges facing the world is environmental pollution and degradation. It has been a major problem that has drawn attention from scholars, political leaders and other interested stakeholders that have now collaborated in formulating solutions that can promote sustainability. Notably, environmental education has been a key element in pushing for environmental conservation since it was introduced in the school curriculum as an elective or a core teaching subject. In order to become an expert at educating others for sustainability and harmony with nature, it is essential that one first develop a love for Mother Nature itself. The objective of this paper is to critically review how gamification can be used in environmental education The following are the main key rationale of environmental education; • Engaging with the population of all demographics in development of sustainable development projects that promotes equality and harmony with natural elements • Think critically, ethically and be creative in evaluating environmental issues • Making of educated judgments on how to handle the various environmental issues that may emerge • Development of skills and cultures that are directed towards promoting environmental sustainability • Enhancing the appreciation of the environment and hence resulting to positive correlations and environmental behavior Research Questions 1.

Environmental education is a multi-disciplinary field that covers different areas of study that are interrelated such as biology, geography, chemistry, ecology, earth science and history. It is not possible to promote environmental sustainability and harmony without understanding the biology of living things and how they functions within their specified habitats. Again, in order to understand more about environment and become experts in promoting sustainability, there is need to learn more about the geography, earth science and ecology for the purposes of understanding more about environmental logistics. Environmental education does not only revolve around class teachings, it also involves cultural teachings that have been passed from generation to generation. For example, the Indigenous People of Canada have always taught their children to respect and love nature while educating them on sustainability.

Emphasis are put in safeguarding future global developments and ensuring that quality of life is maintained through the protection of the environment and the insurance of sustainable development (Sterling and John, 28). Modern day government tends to promote curriculums in school systems that are more tailored to examinations. According to Fain, Barantovich, and Martin (2004), the “aims of education are becoming increasingly extrinsic”, meaning that most students only want to learn because the material will be tested on examinations rather than intrinsic motivations in which they actually want to learn the material. Therefore, in order to change this, it would be much better to engage students in outdoor hands-on experiences and experiments. Projects as simple as picking up garbage, replanting trees, and helping with recycling are all great ways to involve students with sustainability knowledge.

The Stockholm Declaration, signed in 1972 which included 7 proclamations and 26 principles was to inspire and guide the peoples of the world in the preservation and enhancement of the human environment (UNEP, n. d. The Belgrade Charter signed in 1975 was built upon the Stockholm Declaration, and defines an audience for environmental education (UNEP, n. d. Finally, the Tbilisi Declaration signed in 1977 helps to lay out the role, objectives and characteristics of EE, while providing several goals and principles (UNEP, n. Environmental crisis such as endangered animal species, deforestation, depletion of natural resources, depletion of the ozone layer, and the melting ice caps are all forms of destructions that humans have caused. The consequences of these things are not directly felt by humans. However, in a very indirect way, humans feel the wraith that these crisis bring to them.

For example, the rising sea level may not directly affect humans. However, the rising sea level means that marine life is disturbed, in which many fish become killed due to the difference in water pressure. It can be classified in various forms depending on the platform it is to be played on; the persons involved in the game or even or even a location (Muntean, 2011). Based on platform, a game can be played on a computer, a mobile phone or in simulation. The first game was invented in 1962 by Steve Russell a student from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Steve was a programmer and he led his team to in making Space War, a game that gave rise to all the computer and mobile phone games ever invented to date.

The main purpose of the game was to provide some sorts of entertainment and this was definitely a success as it received a lot of commentaries all the way to England. Decision-making is a very important general aspect in everyone’s life as it acquires one the ability to make the right choice depending the condition of the environment. There is also Enercities, which is played by constructing structures, town cleaning, planning and organization and this helps in people understand the importance of creating a sustainable environment that would be fit for human existence. Gamification may seem like it is a less important act for the society but it has a lot to offer. Gamification can also be applied through simulation methods that help learners understand and solve challenging situations that have an impact to the environment and this equips them with a better understanding of the process under study (Kapp, 2012).

The simulated games are not alike with the computer games as they do have features that distinct them greatly from the virtual games and they include; the element of real, where a learner is able to picture the content and context under study and this helps in recalling the situation more easily. If the pressures are more positive then the stimulation towards the intention is seen. The theory has been used to explain different types of behavior, for instance, in gamification; a person is subjected to play a game under the intention of being entertained. When one feels entertained, the stimulation to positivity is influenced from the fact that the game brought about fun, satisfaction, fantasy and some ludic feelings. Therefore, if the feelings brought about by entertainment are more positive then the adoption to the intention gets higher and it also leads to better decision-making.