Gaming for Green Port Management as a Learning Tool: a Case Study of Green PorTech

Abstract

Purpose – Constructing Green Port is a novel port management direction prevailing among the globe to realize carbon reduction in the context of ports developments. This study developed a 2D RPG game “Green PorTech” which mainly disseminates the professional knowledge of green port in simple and intriguing way. The main purpose of this study is to gather reflections of “Green PorTech” for improvements and verify university students’ learning effects of this game. Design/methodology/approach – Summarized relevant literature review of green port management and related practices to provide justifications for game setting basis. We further introduced current trend of Climate Change Education (CCE) and Digital game-based learning (DGBL) as guidelines to develop the game. This study used face-to-face feedbacks and questionnaire to empirically analyze four dimensions-learning, engagement, usability and user experience and satisfaction of the Green PorTech game. Findings – The results shown that Green PorTech provides fine user experiences and satisfaction therefore raise the overall learning performance of the game. This research proved that Green PorTech can become a brandnew model of learning and discussion-facilitating tool in terms of introducing the idea of green port management and related climate change mitigation knowledge. Originality/value – This study created the first 2D RPG game-Green PorTech based on implementing the idea of climate change mitigation measures on green port management strategies. Players are given chances to immerse themselves in the simulated port management scenarios and implicated green port management measures at first hand. In the hope of motivating the public of all ages enjoying the knowledge of green port by extracting pleasure from the game, in the meantime raise their green port awareness and core sustainability competencies.