Game-Based Learning in Graphic Design Education: An Experiential Learning Approach to Contextualise Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Matters in a Ghanaian University

This study explored game-based learning structured with design-led workshop activities to augment 75 third-year undergraduate graphic design students’ learning about climate change and environmental sustainability matters in a Ghanaian university. The aim was to motivate them to understand the role that design and designers can play in addressing climate change to promote environmental sustainability. This design research gathered data via interviews, survey and observation during participatory design workshop activities. Analysis of the students’ survey responses revealed that, 18 knew much about climate change and environmental sustainability; 6 understood how the graphic design industry contributes to climate change; and 27 recognised graphic design as a viable tool to promote environmental sustainability. Consequently, the students were engaged to interrogate critical environmental challenges in Ghana and co-design solutions that communicate simple sustainable messages. They demonstrated their learning with sustainable design projects that focused mainly on illegal mining ( galamsey ), illegal logging, water pollution and sanitation, using text, images, video and audio recordings. This indicates the viability of game-based learning and sustainable graphic design as tools for mediating climate change communication to promote environmental sustainability.