We are using pre and post surveys, open-ended reflections, and focus groups. We’ve also done a pilot longitudinal study. Please keep an eye on our website for more for more information about learning outcomes:
http://climate-change-initiative.org/ . Please feel free to contact me if you’d like to participate in this research effort!

Thanks Juliette. Again what a great way to guide new thinking and decision-making through collaborative simulations. Im a little curious about how different models and arguments are made across language registers and even varied cultural communities. Given the diversity of your participants, have you noticed or received any comments about how participants communicate their proposals and ideas in more or less convincing ways?

We are hoping to look into the influence of cultural and educational settings and background on learning outcomes. Unfortunately, doing so was outside the scope of our currently funded proposal.

Thanks again Juliette. I browsed some of the links in your site and see some possibilities for using some of your tools with my bilingual science teacher education course. Do you know if others have used your work in bilingual settings or in other languages?

We are also using this approach for energy policy (World Energy). This approach is also used in system dynamics (e.g., the Beer Game, which enables participants to learn about supply chain dynamics; and FishBanks, which is about over-utilization of natural resources in a tragedy of the commons system).

Thank you! The computer simulation that frames World Climate (C-ROADS, for Climate Rapid Overview and Decision Support) was actually developed as a decision-support tool for high-level policymakers and we have run World Climate with audiences ranging from middle school students to CEOs, policymakers, university presidents, and climate scientists. We would love to reach as many people as possible and welcome any ideas to do so.

Wonderful! Have you been able to document and measure such shifts among policy makers? Such case studies would go a long way toward shifting public policy (or so we must hope…).

We haven’t given pre/post surveys to policymakers, but we do have anecdotal evidence for shifts in that audience as well.

That’s good that you have at least the anecdotal evidence. Will you share some of that with us—-even if the cast of characters remain anonymous? As a Haitian linguist trying to usher a paradigm shift around the (mis-)use of language in Haiti, I am so personally interested in learning how to change ideologically-driven beliefs with the help of evidence from science. Thank you in advance!

By the way, the mis-use of language in Haiti (teaching Kreyòl-speaking kids in French, and thus maintaining the power of those who speak French) is one of the long-term consequences of French colonization and slavery in Haiti. So I was moved to see John Sterman referring to the ending of slavery in Europe and the Americas. What’s often not noticed, though, is that mental slavery has continued unabated in many post-colonial contexts such as in Haiti, and often through the education system and the role of language therein.

Great question. Yes we have run the exercise with participants ranging from middle schoolers to executive MBA students and climate scientists. The simulation is flexible because the scientific rigor is maintained and easy to interact with through the computer program, C-ROADS, while participants end up teaching and learning from each other – i.e., they bring their own level of expertise, knowledge, and interest to the experience.

Great question, David. So far, we’ve actually seen statistically significant gains in participants’ motivation to reduce their own carbon footprint and get involved at a broader social level. We also see gains in their motivation to learn more about climate change science and policy. It is important to give participants a chance to reflect on these questions, especially during the debrief.

Thank you for your kind words. We are offering regular webinars and Climate Interactive has just launched a new project to propagate World Climate across Africa. We would love to do more in the US and are hoping to secure funding to make that possible!

That is so good to hear – thank you Teresa. Please keep on using our surveys and sending us data as well! We have found exciting evidence for learning through the work of you and others and have many more questions we could answer with a larger data set.

Thank you!

Yes – C-ROADS is available at no cost to anyone. You can also access C-Learn online. All of the role-playing materials are also available for free and they have been used in settings ranging from middle school to graduate school and beyond. One note is that we would like to develop more scaffolding and materials in simpler language for younger users (beyond the scope of our current funding).

Thanks for your work, Torrey!