New Perspectives in Science Education

Implementing measures to mitigate the impacts of climate change and its consequences is crucial. Safeguarding, restoring, and promoting the sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems are essential to combat the decline in biodiversity. This comprehensive action plan aims to enhance the well-being of people, protect the environment, and foster global prosperity.

These critical themes can be thoroughly examined within the framework of “The Crystal Lake’s Mystery”, an educational eco-crime game, set up for high schools’ students. In fact, gamification can increase engagement through the inclusion of game-like features like points and badges, in non-game contexts [1]. Moreover, gamification in education has successfully proven in many contests to increase the engagement of the pupils and knowledge also about complex topics [2-4].

The Crystal Lake’s Mystery educational game was developed in the framework of the project titled "Change the Game: playing to be trained for the challenges of a sustainable society" [5]. This project aims to develop new educational tools, specifically serious games, to enhance student motivation in tackling STEM subjects and supporting their future career paths. The playful approach is employed to support engagement, motivation, and the creation of a conducive learning environment. Typically, serious games are educational tools where, ideally, serious, and playful aspects are in balance. This means that in addition to the famous phrase "learning by doing," there is an essential playful and enjoyable aspect, which is central to effective education.

“The Crystal Lake’s Mystery” incorporates a blend of STEM subjects, emphasizing chemistry and biology, to navigate the investigation. Participants are organized into teams and tasked with probing four companies near the lake, aiming to uncover the cause, culprit, and process behind the fish mortality that suddenly occurred in the lake. By using a "detective board," teams strategize and evaluate evidences obtained by chemical and biological laboratorial analyses.

This interdisciplinary activity offers a rich learning experience, merging scientific concepts from chemistry, biology, and environmental subjects. The game aims to enlighten students about sustainability, environmental conservation, and responsible resource utilization, fostering a generation committed to a sustainable future. The session culminates in a quiz, determining the successful detective team, encouraging active participation, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. This initiative may be a valuable educational tool, capable to promote sustainability and environmental awareness in high schools.