Increased Student Learning in an Introductory Climate Change Course through the Use of Role Playing

Role playing games as teaching tools have been shown in other disciplines to increase student learning, motivation, engagement, and problem solving. This pedagogical method is applied to a meteorology course for teaching climate change impacts, projections, and societal responses. Through two class periods of an introductory climate change course, students take on roles of fictitious citizens of Seattle to address how the city should respond to impending sea level rise and other climate impacts. Throughout the game students form factions and use scientific evidence to develop proposals advocating for either climate change prevention, adaptation, or mitigation. Quantitative data show improved student learning on course content related to the activity.