Barriers for participation and engagement when using a tabletop role-playing game for environmental education

This extended abstract explores barriers for participation and engagement that emerge when a tabletop role-playing game (TRPG) is being used for environmental education in lower secondary schools in Denmark. Based on fieldwork carried out at four Danish schools, barriers related to design and motivation are discussed. The findings suggest that while aspects of TRPGS seem to have great educational potential, a complex TRPG with premade characters isn’t suited for use in the average class with students who don’t have prior role-playing experience.