Responsible management of Natural Resources, including land, water, air, minerals, forests and biodiversity, has a direct impact on the preservation of the natural environment and the quality of life of current and future generations. It creates a balance between social, economic and environmental factors. It leads to the well-being of people and communities, the preservation of jobs and the protection of ecosystems. Sustainable management of Natural Resources is a high priority in the 21st century as it can help prevent land degradation, avoid desertification, mitigate climate change and more. It is included in the sustainability goals of OHE, such as green cities and communities, responsible production and consumption, climate action and sustaining life on land and under water.
Achieving sustainable management of Natural Resources starts with awareness and education. Society is facing climate change, warming and habitat destruction with direct consequences on the long-term health of natural systems. In this context, it is imperative to develop learning initiatives that prepare responsible, active citizens on environmental sustainability issues in all aspects of daily life both in industry and in society.
This workshop presents The NATURE research project that developed a digital learning game to build skills for responsible behavior regarding the management of Natural Resources and to design solutions for environmental sustainability in everyday and professional activities. The digital learning game sensitises users about the importance of sustainable management of natural resources for the well-being of communities and plant and animal species, develops theoretical knowledge and practical skills to design solutions for environmental sustainability, and cultivates soft skills, such as critical and analytical thinking, necessary for problem solving. Users are asked to design solutions to environmental problems in a three-dimensional digital environment.
The digital learning game is developed within the framework of the NATURE research project funded by the Erasmus+programme. The research project is implemented by an educational consortium that includes the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Thessaly, specifically the Creative Learning Technologies Research Group (http://ctll.e-ce.uth.gr), and universities from Estonia, Latvia, Portugal, and Spain.