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The Phosphorus Negotiation Game (P-Game) is for the first time introduced
First results from playing in 22 countries with 788 participants are presented
The P-Game can be played well with participants from various backgrounds
Introduction
In recent years, the integration of new teaching methods into traditional educational frameworks has introduced innovative and engaging approaches to learning across diverse disciplines. Among these approaches, serious games have gained prominence as effective tools for imparting complex concepts, fostering critical thinking, and enhancing decision-making skills [1, 2]. Recent reviews about the use of serious games in sustainable education are for instance provided by Hallinger et al. [3] and Stanitsas et al. [4].
The integration of serious games into educational curricula is a response to the growing recognition of the limitations of conventional pedagogical approaches. Traditional classroom settings often struggle to replicate the dynamic, unpredictable nature of real-world interactions [5, 6, 7–8]. As a result, students may find it challenging to grasp the intricacies of science-policy interfaces solely through theoretical instruction. Serious games, on the other hand, provide an experiential learning platform that mirrors the complexities of the real world while providing participants with the freedom to explore various decision pathways and observe the consequences of their choices in a controlled environment [9, 10].
Stokes and Selin [11] introduced the concept of the mercury game, a negotiation game that immerses participants in a scenario where they are tasked with making informed decisions in the context of science-policy interactions at Harvard Law School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the beginning of the 2010s. Through this serious game, participants engage with real-world challenges related to environmental mercury contamination, allowing them to experience firsthand the complexities and dilemmas that policymakers often encounter. The study's evaluation of the mercury game shed light on its efficacy in enhancing the participants' understanding of the multifaceted nature of science-policy interfaces, ultimately emphasizing the potential of serious games in bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and its practical application in policy formulation. Serious games can thus be considered an important contribution to the emerging field of science diplomacy as pointed out by Mauduit and Soler [12].
Stokes and Selin [11] demonstrated the efficacy of the mercury game in enhancing participants' understanding of science-policy interactions,...