Climate change is a highly complex social-ecological problem characterized by system-type dynamics that are important to communicate in a variety of settings, ranging from formal education to decision makers to informal education of the general public. Educational games are one approach that may enhance systems thinking skills. This study used a randomized controlled experiment to compare the impact on the mental models of participants of an educational card game vs. an illustrated article about the Arctic social-ecological system. A total of 41 participants (game: n = 20; reading: n = 21) created pre- and post-intervention mental models of the system, based on a "fuzzy cognitive mapping" approach. Maps were analyzed using network statistics. Both reading the article and playing the game resulted in measurable increases in systems understanding. The group reading the article perceived a more complex system after the intervention, with overall learning gains approximately twice those of the game players. However, game players demonstrated similar learning gains as article readers regarding the climate system, actions both causing environmental problems and protecting the Arctic, as well as the importance of the base- and mid-levels of the food chain. These findings contribute to the growing evidence showing that games are important resources to include as strategies for building capacity to understand and steward sustainable social-ecological systems, in both formal and informal education.

中文翻译：

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游戏与阅读对社会生态系统心理模型的影响：一种模糊的认知映射方法

气候变化是一个高度复杂的社会生态问题，其特征是系统类型的动态变化，对于在从正规教育到决策者再到公众的非正式教育等各种环境中进行交流都很重要。教育游戏是一种可以增强系统思维能力的方法。这项研究使用随机对照实验比较了教育纸牌游戏参与者对心理模型的影响与关于北极社会生态系统的插图文章的影响。共有41位参与者（游戏：n = 20；阅读次数：n = 21）基于“模糊认知映射”方法创建了系统干预前和干预后的心理模型。使用网络统计数据分析地图。阅读文章和玩游戏都会导致系统理解的显着提高。阅读本文的小组在进行干预后认为系统更加复杂，总体学习收益约为游戏玩家的两倍。但是，游戏玩家在气候系统，造成环境问题和保护北极的行动以及食物链的基础和中层水平的重要性方面，与文章读者一样，学习上的收获与文章读者相似。这些发现有助于越来越多的证据表明，游戏是重要的资源，可作为在正规和非正规教育中增强理解和管理可持续社会生态系统能力的战略。整体学习收益约为游戏玩家的两倍。但是，游戏玩家在气候系统，造成环境问题和保护北极的行动以及食物链的基础和中层水平的重要性方面，与文章读者一样，学习上的收获与文章读者相似。这些发现有助于越来越多的证据表明，游戏是重要的资源，可作为在正规和非正规教育中增强理解和管理可持续社会生态系统能力的战略。整体学习收益约为游戏玩家的两倍。但是，游戏玩家在气候系统，造成环境问题和保护北极的行动以及食物链的基础和中层水平的重要性方面，与文章读者一样，学习上的收获与文章读者相似。这些发现有助于越来越多的证据表明，游戏是重要的资源，可作为在正规和非正规教育中增强理解和管理可持续社会生态系统能力的战略。以及食物链中层和中层的重要性。这些发现有助于越来越多的证据表明，游戏是重要的资源，可作为战略建设来理解和指导可持续的社会生态系统的能力，包括正式和非正式教育。以及食物链中层和中层的重要性。这些发现有助于越来越多的证据表明，游戏是重要的资源，可作为在正规和非正规教育中增强理解和管理可持续社会生态系统能力的战略。