Abstract
Studying local ecologies and local food systems is a way to link general knowledge to something more specific and relatable. Taking a local focus holds potential to build student interest and understanding of food systems. A challenge to teaching with a local focus is that educational material tends to present the subject in far wider, national or global, terms. Our suggestion to meet this challenge is to think about projects that encourage students to learn about their local environments. An example of a project type is the design of a tabletop or board game. Board games can bring out systematic relationships and challenges. A number of commercially successful and critically acclaimed board games tackle ecological themes (examples include Cascadia and Photosynthesis). The educational activity described here can be used for students from elementary school to university. The local emphasis here fits with the conference`s special focus on “place.” The presentation features the experience of a student who created a food system-focused game for a history contest. As that experience illustrates, board games serve as pedagogical aids both in their design and through play. In designing a board game, students must think about how challenges to ecology and food supply shape game play. There can be shifting scarcities, or patterns of threats and risks. Players then understand more through these interactions. Creation and play also encourage more discussion of local ecology and food. A local focus can stimulate community interest and involvement, and even intergenerational communication.
Presenters
Erik MobrandAssociate Professor, Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul Teugbyeolsi [Seoul-T'ukpyolshi], South Korea
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Teaching, Local food, Games
Digital Media
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