Presentation
Learning by throwing the dice: How serious games can help to understand the complexities of an emergency response and what preparedness should mean
DescriptionA principal element in maintaining the right levels of preparedness in pollution response management is passing on lessons learned and international good practices to a new generation of responders. For many teachers, PowerPoint Presentations have become the main tool in delivering the same course every time and these provide consistency between courses over the years. But from a participant’s perspective it can be quite challenging to learn only in a presentation format, and remembering what has been presented can be even more difficult.
The fact that tabletop exercises are normally highly appreciated as a learning tool raises the question whether tabletops can bring participant engagement to the next level. Could they include game-like elements, including the use of dice and cards? Could dice and cards bring in stochastic injects that are also characteristic of real-time responses? Could we think of new types of tabletops where complex matters could be visualised and experienced via tasks given in the form of fun games? Could participants learn from engaging discussions amongst them, rather than watching PowerPoints?
These were amongst the questions that over the years have led to the development of a series of game-based tabletops that aim to engage participants in the management aspects of wildlife response via methods of “active learning”. Games have been developed designed to be played face to face, but also online using interactive and collaborative software platforms.
This paper will describe the path towards creation of the WildX tabletop environment, a wildlife emergency response exercise package, developed with EU-funding, and the experience of providing game-based tabletops both in-person and online.
The fact that tabletop exercises are normally highly appreciated as a learning tool raises the question whether tabletops can bring participant engagement to the next level. Could they include game-like elements, including the use of dice and cards? Could dice and cards bring in stochastic injects that are also characteristic of real-time responses? Could we think of new types of tabletops where complex matters could be visualised and experienced via tasks given in the form of fun games? Could participants learn from engaging discussions amongst them, rather than watching PowerPoints?
These were amongst the questions that over the years have led to the development of a series of game-based tabletops that aim to engage participants in the management aspects of wildlife response via methods of “active learning”. Games have been developed designed to be played face to face, but also online using interactive and collaborative software platforms.
This paper will describe the path towards creation of the WildX tabletop environment, a wildlife emergency response exercise package, developed with EU-funding, and the experience of providing game-based tabletops both in-person and online.
Authors
General Manager
Event Type
Paper
TimeTuesday, May 14th4:30pm - 4:50pm CDT
Location275-277
Preparedness