Training Competencies for Sustainable Thinking Through …
365
A gulp of spring water is a pleasure and drinking from mountain streams is
absolutely possible in the area. One can enjoy the water without hesitation. There
are many natural mineral springs in the Harz region. The natural springs, which have
their origin in protected wood areas like the National Park Harz, flow into the dam
system of the Rappbode dam and are refined to drinking water in waterworks.
The reservoirs are not only used for supplying drinking water, but they also play
an important role in flood control and energy supply. Nevertheless, the preservation
of this high-quality raw material—water—leads to a partial restriction in land, forest
and touristic use in the region. The interdependency between the loss of nature and
the use for flood control and climate-friendly energy generation becomes clear in
this topic. Beside reservoirs, mountain streams can be used for energy generation by
the application of waterwheels. In order to protect fish and their natural passages a
fish ascent and descent system is necessary.
All those different subjects are connected in an interactive educational nature trail.
This path considers the necessary points of departures for a successful problemsolving process to develop sustainability competency. The following table sums up
all topics and their interactions, which are represented in the single stations of the
nature trail:
An emotional commitment is aimed at through the selection of the topics. This
occurs in special measures by using various personal points of contact with water
which lead to very personal attitudes.
Functional thinking consists of the fact that a situation is analyzed with regard to its
action variables. This happens on the basis of the question about the consequences.
In the center are the relations between the variables of a system. Considering the
example of water usage the different effects of decisions can be clarified. For example,
intensive agricultural or industrial use can be harmful to the resource “drinking water”
in the long-term. Moreover, the decrease of the storage capacity of the ground can
require additional measures of flood control.
Strategic adaptations are also needed concerning the sustainable handling of water.
For instance, with progressing climate change, new requirements for the management
of water, for nature conservation and flood control become necessary.
The transfer of the topic in Table 1 is supported by a digital game which can
be played while walking the nature trail. The game fosters understanding of the
correlations between elements in a complex system, allows players to practice the
strategic management of resources and provides feedback about the short- and longterm effects of their decisions. Also, solving complex and linked problems through
a playful challenge supports building up and strengthening the confidence of the
actors.
The game will be available as an application for smartphones. Hence it will use
modern digital possibilities to attract the target group of kids, students and their
families who are walking the nature trail together (Individually or as a team). However
the game can be adapted to different target groups.
During the course of the game, the player collects drop-shaped characters called
“Droppy”, which can be discovered based on the location of the player on the aforementioned nature trail. Each drop represents a different function of water, for example
365
A gulp of spring water is a pleasure and drinking from mountain streams is
absolutely possible in the area. One can enjoy the water without hesitation. There
are many natural mineral springs in the Harz region. The natural springs, which have
their origin in protected wood areas like the National Park Harz, flow into the dam
system of the Rappbode dam and are refined to drinking water in waterworks.
The reservoirs are not only used for supplying drinking water, but they also play
an important role in flood control and energy supply. Nevertheless, the preservation
of this high-quality raw material—water—leads to a partial restriction in land, forest
and touristic use in the region. The interdependency between the loss of nature and
the use for flood control and climate-friendly energy generation becomes clear in
this topic. Beside reservoirs, mountain streams can be used for energy generation by
the application of waterwheels. In order to protect fish and their natural passages a
fish ascent and descent system is necessary.
All those different subjects are connected in an interactive educational nature trail.
This path considers the necessary points of departures for a successful problemsolving process to develop sustainability competency. The following table sums up
all topics and their interactions, which are represented in the single stations of the
nature trail:
An emotional commitment is aimed at through the selection of the topics. This
occurs in special measures by using various personal points of contact with water
which lead to very personal attitudes.
Functional thinking consists of the fact that a situation is analyzed with regard to its
action variables. This happens on the basis of the question about the consequences.
In the center are the relations between the variables of a system. Considering the
example of water usage the different effects of decisions can be clarified. For example,
intensive agricultural or industrial use can be harmful to the resource “drinking water”
in the long-term. Moreover, the decrease of the storage capacity of the ground can
require additional measures of flood control.
Strategic adaptations are also needed concerning the sustainable handling of water.
For instance, with progressing climate change, new requirements for the management
of water, for nature conservation and flood control become necessary.
The transfer of the topic in Table 1 is supported by a digital game which can
be played while walking the nature trail. The game fosters understanding of the
correlations between elements in a complex system, allows players to practice the
strategic management of resources and provides feedback about the short- and longterm effects of their decisions. Also, solving complex and linked problems through
a playful challenge supports building up and strengthening the confidence of the
actors.
The game will be available as an application for smartphones. Hence it will use
modern digital possibilities to attract the target group of kids, students and their
families who are walking the nature trail together (Individually or as a team). However
the game can be adapted to different target groups.
During the course of the game, the player collects drop-shaped characters called
“Droppy”, which can be discovered based on the location of the player on the aforementioned nature trail. Each drop represents a different function of water, for example