In a world where sustainability and justice are crucial topics, finding ways to effectively teach these concepts to younger generations is more important than ever. While climate change and nature-based solutions (NbS) are widely discussed, how can we make these ideas relevant, engaging, and transformative for students? A new study conducted in CO-CARBON project explores a creative approach: role-play.
This study, conducted with upper-secondary school students in Finland, explored how role-playing can help students connect with the concepts of environmental justice and sustainability. By stepping into the shoes of different community members—ranging from a hairdresser to a brown hare—students gained new insights into how decisions about urban green spaces impact both people and the environment.
So, how does this method work, and why does it matter?
The role-playing workshop
The research involved 10 workshops with 197 students aged from 16 to 19. Using cards that represented different characters and green-space solutions (e.g., community gardens, green roofs), the students engaged in group discussions. Each group had to advocate for the needs and values of their assigned characters. For example, an IT professional might want green roofs for their eco-friendly appeal, while a brown hare might prioritize meadows for habitat.
Through these discussions, students confronted the complex trade-offs involved in urban planning. They explored whose needs are prioritized, who gets excluded, and how to balance benefits for both humans and nature.
The activity wasn’t just about learning facts—it was about understanding perspectives. By the end of the workshops, many students reported feeling more aware of justice issues, such as how to recognize cultural and ecological diversity in planning urban green spaces. Some even developed creative solutions, like combining green roofs with community gardens to serve both human and non-human needs.
Why role-play matters?
Traditional classroom approaches often focus on cognitive learning—memorizing facts and theories. But this study introduced something different: relational learning. This type of learning emphasizes dialogue, collaboration, and trust-building among participants.
Here’s why that’s innovative:
- Interdisciplinarity: the way this role-play was structured bridges the gap between natural and social sciences, making students think about ecosystems and human societies together.
- Critical thinking: Students reflect on power dynamics and justice. For instance, some groups questioned why certain characters, like a businessman or a hare, should or shouldn’t have a say in green-space decisions.
- New perspectives and agency: By role-playing non-human characters, students broaden their sense of community to include animals and ecosystems.
The study also highlights that integrating sustainability education into secondary schools can help students envision more equitable and sustainable futures for humans and other animals.
How to reproduce the role-play?
Schoolteachers and researchers can replicate this approach to make sustainability education more impactful. Role-play can help students understand real-world challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, or urban planning.
The material present in the article (see link below) could be a starting point:
- Customize the characters and scenarios: starting from the cards, tailor the role-play to reflect local environmental challenges. For example, include characters that represent your community’s unique demographics.
- Focus on justice: use the activity to explore justice issues, such as who benefits from green spaces and who gets excluded.
- Collaboration is the key: ask if possible to be helped by a colleague to follow the students’ conversations and encourage students to work together to find solutions that balance diverse needs. Extra material like a map could help the process and make it more locally relevant.
By crossing the boundaries between natural and social sciences, this method invites students to think holistically and to talk about justice issues without the need of theoretical classifications. If you would like to integrate this approach into your teaching, the full study provides a detailed guide from designing the role-play to measuring its impact.
Read the full article here:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26395916.2024.2430591
Text and pictures: Eugenia Castellazzi