Playing with disaster: Ecolilteracy via playful co-creation

The project PWD examines how to motivate and foster ecoliteracy (capability and will
to work towards a sustainable society) in youth via the use of roleplaying games
(RPG). Research shows that a catastrophic outlook tends to create apathy and
negative emotions that impede, rather than motivate action for change. PWD
examines the potential of non-dystopian cli-fi RPG for fostering ecoliteracy. The use
of RPG has a long tradition within education with well proven results. In the field of
environmental education, RPG have mainly been used as fact-based simulations. PWD
treads new tracks by working with fictionalized worlds in order to stimulate
imagination, perspective shifting and co-creative play with alternative futures. The
aim is to develop educational tools as well as knowledge and theory. The projects
emphasis on imagination and play are likely to engender a basis for hope among
young people in times when most news on our ecological predicament tends to be
discouraging.