Title: Sustainable development training by simulation of an industrial crisis

Authors: N. Lourdel, C. Harpet, V. Laforest, N. Gondran, C. Brodhag

Addresses: Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris, 35 rue Saint-Honore, 77305 Fontainebleau cedex, France. ' Institut National des Sciences Appliquees de Lyon (INSA), Domaine scientifique de la Doua, Centre des Humanites, 1 rue des Humanites, 69621 Villeurbanne cedex, France. ' Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de St Etienne, 158 cours Fauriel, 42023 St Etienne cedex 02, France. ' Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de St Etienne, 158 cours Fauriel, 42023 St Etienne cedex 02, France. ' Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de St Etienne, 158 cours Fauriel, 42023 St Etienne cedex 02, France

Abstract: Sustainable development education raises a problem of knowledge contextualisation. Therefore, the authors developed a situational role play which allows students to better link sustainable development theory with real life situation. In the role play, three stakeholder groups take position and negotiate while other groups observe, in three periodic rounds of negotiation. To evaluate training impacts, a survey was conducted. The results show that students appreciated the game-based approach. It allowed them to develop a systemic way of thinking and understand conflicts and positions of different actors while trying out a consensual process over a period of time.

Keywords: sustainable development; crisis management; role play; gaming simulation; engineering education; sustainability; negotiation; game-based training; emergency management; design education; higher education.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2006.011362

Journal of Design Research, 2006 Vol.5 No.2, pp.188 - 200

Published online: 23 Nov 2006 *

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