University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DBER Speaker Series
Discipline-Based Education Research Group
10-16-2014
Development of an interactive water management
role‐playing game as an educational tool
representing the central Nebraska Platte River
valley social‐economic‐ecological system
Victoria Chraibi
University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
Nathan Rossman
University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
Anil Giri
University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
Noelle Hart
University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
Zion Schell
University of Nebraska‐Lincoln
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Chraibi, Victoria; Rossman, Nathan; Giri, Anil; Hart, Noelle; and Schell, Zion, "Development of an interactive water management
role‐playing game as an educational tool representing the central Nebraska Platte River valley social‐economic‐ecological system"
(2014). DBER Speaker Series. 65.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dberspeakers/65
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Abstract for DBER Group Discussion on 2014‐10‐16 Presenter(s), Department(s): Victoria Chraibi1, Nathan Rossman1, Anil Giri2, Noelle Hart3, and Zion Schell4 1
Ph.D. student, NSF IGERT trainee, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences 2
Ph.D. student, NSF IGERT trainee, Department of Agricultural Economics 3
Ph.D. student, NSF IGERT trainee, School of Natural Resources 4
Ph.D. student, NSF IGERT trainee, Department of Computer Science & Engineering University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Title: Development of an interactive water management role‐playing game as an educational tool representing the central Nebraska Platte River valley social‐economic‐ecological system Abstract: As members of the National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT), we have gained valuable experience abroad in Europe learning about and participating in research that utilizes serious role‐playing games representing a watershed with its land use and river system. The focus of this research is on the development of such a game representing the central Platte River valley and its dynamics according to the activities played by the players and uncertain streamflow inputs. The game is adapted specifically from two other games, one called Wat‐A‐Game, developed at the French public institutes IRSTEA and CIRAD (https://sites.google.com/site/waghistory/), and one called Lords of the Valley, developed at the Poland‐based Centre for System Solutions (https://lordsofthevalley.games4sustainability.com/). We present an overview of these other games, compare how our newly developed game differs, and then details of the development of our game, including a look at the game board, role instructions, and the flow of the game. Finally, we discuss our plans for testing the ability of the game to quickly introduce to and teach students about the Platte River social‐economic‐ecological system. Water Management
Role-Playing Game
of the
Platte River Valley
Nathan Rossman, Anil Giri, Zion Schell,
Noëlle Hart, Victoria Chraïbi
DBER Seminar
October 15, 2014
NSF-IGERT
Integrative
Graduate
Education and
Research
Traineeship
Resilience and Adaptive Management
of Stressed Watersheds
Systems Perspective
Serious Role-Playing
through Games
Lords of the Valley
Center for Systems
Solutions
Wrocław, Poland
http://crs.org.pl
Lords of the Valley
A
u
s
t
r
i
a
Tisza Valley, Hungary
Poland
Wat-A-Game
IRSTEA-CIRAD
www.watagame.info
What about…
Platte River game?
Similarities with
European Games
Scarcity
Trade offs
Representation of real system:
Hydrology
Net Returns
Differences from
European Games
Institutions
Quantifying some aspects:
Biodiversity index
Results
Debriefing
Representing the
Platte System
Representing the
Platte System
Central Platte
Representing the
Platte System
Game Board
Game Play
3 basic stages of play:
1. Pre- growing season
Planting decisions are made and finalized
Game Play
3 basic stages of play:
2. During growing season
Plattebasintimelapse.com
Water is moved through the system
Game Play
3 basic stages of play:
3. Post-growing season
Money exchanged based on agriculture & hydropower
Incentives paid out to influence next year’s behavior
Game Play
Role: Surface Water Irrigator (SWI)
• Pre-season
– Decides how much to plant, and either high- or lowintensity methods
• During
– Decides how much water to divert
• Post-season
– Is paid based on agricultural results minus property
tax
– Is incentivized by FWS to use less water
Game Play
Role: Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)
• During
– Decides how much to release from Lake Mac for hydro
– Decides how much to intake/release from Small
Reservoir 1 for hydro
• Post-season
– Is paid based on hydropower
production
– Is incentivized by NGPC to keep
reservoir levels higher
Game Play
Role: Central Nebraska Public Power &
Irrigation District (CNPPID)
• Pre-season
– Decides how much to plant
– high- or low-intensity methods
• During
– Decides how much to intake/release from Small Reservoir 2
for hydro and agricultural needs and how much to divert to
their fields
• Post-season
– Is paid based on hydropower production
– Is incentivized by NGPC to keep reservoir levels higher
– Is incentivized by FWS to consumptively use less water
Game Play
Roles: Groundwater Irrigators (GWI-1,GWI-2)
• Pre-season
– Decides how much to plant
– high- or low-intensity methods
• During
– Can take up to their max. groundwater allotments
• Post-season
– Is paid based on agricultural results minus property tax
– Is incentivized by NRD to use less aquifer water
– Is incentivized by FWS to consumptively use less water
Game Play
Role: Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
• During
– At beginning, stores water in
environmental account at Lake Mac
– At end, releases any or all of the environmental
account to manipulate water in critical habitat
• Post-season
– Advises biodiversity of critical habitat
– Incentivizes irrigators to use less water if
necessary
Game Play
Role: Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission (NGPC)
• Post-season
– Advises biodiversity of reservoirs
– Incentivizes NPPD and CNPPID
to retain water in the reservoirs
– Is paid a fixed amount, based on external Game
and Parks-related operations (mostly permits)
Game Play
Roles: Natural Resource District (NRD)
• Post-season
– Incentivizes SWI, CNPPID, GWI-1, GWI-2 (specifically
GWI-1 and GWI-2 to lower effects on groundwater)
In actuality, only directly incentivizes GWIs; role extends
to SWI and CNPPID in that they also fund conservation
efforts specifically relating to consumptive water use
Evaluating the Game
A Framework for Evaluating Simulations as
Educational Tools - Schumann et al. (2001)
Results
Kirkpatrick’s
Framework
Behavior
Learning
Reaction
Evaluating the Game
A Framework for Evaluating Simulations as
Educational Tools - Schumann et al. (2001)
Results
Kirkpatrick’s
Framework
Behavior
Learning
Reaction
Evaluating the Game
Reaction = student satisfaction
• Perceived learning
• Opinion of the game
• Suggestions for improvement
Post game survey
Evaluating the Game
Learning = attitude change,
increased knowledge, or improved
skill
• Objective knowledge
• Attitude changes
Pre and post game survey
Thanks!
Paul A. Johnsgard
In: Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains
Critical Habitat Bird Illustrations from:
Nathan R. Rossman
Lake McConaughy
(3)
8
6
(2)
5
4
(1)
Returns
Max Storage = 5
(1)
0
0
(0)
Canal Losses are 30% of
Diversions (seepage + evap.)
50,000 acres
Max Pumpage =2
5
o
oL
o
et
R
n
Max Diversion = 8
N
No Canal Losses
CNPPID
Hydro-2
Hydro-1
Max Storage = 5
DEFINITION OF ACRONYMS
USFWS = U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
NPPD = Nebraska Public Power District
CNPPID = Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District
SWI = Surface Water Irrigator
GWI = Groundwater Irrigator
PRRIP = Platte River Recovery & Implementation Program
NRDs = Natural Resources Districts
NGPC = Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
200,000 acres
3
Lost
CNPPID
Small Reservoir-2
NPPD
Dam
s
e
s
s
Dam
8
No Losses on
tte River
Diverted Supplied
4
11
PRRIP Critical Habitat USFWS
s
n
ur
1
1
(0)
Canal Losses are 30% of
Diversions (seepage + evap.)
Small Reservoir-1
l
vers
ion
=
Nort
Hydroelectric dam
South Pla
ana
Platte River
Max Storage = 7
h Ca
nal
Ma
x Di
SWI — water use options
th C
2)
(Wa
ter R
ight
Ma ter R
xD
iver ight 3
sion
)
=5
Lost
(1)
Environmental
Account
(Wa
Diverted Supplied
5
4
(1)
(Water Right 1)
3
4
(1)
USFWS
2
Sou
(Wa Diversio
ter R
ight n = 4
3)
NPPD — water use options
Platte River Valley
Water Management
Role-Playing Game
3
(1)
Max
Lost
200,000 acres
Sou
1
Diverted Supplied
Platte River
n = 11
CNPPID — water use options
r
e
v
i
R
e
th Platt
2
0
0
(0)
Canal Losses are 30% of
Diversions (seepage + evap.)
r
e
v
i
R
e
tt
a
l
P
h
t
u
o
S
GWI—2
1
1
(0)
Canal Losses are 30% of
Diversions (seepage + evap.)
(1)
(occurs with no pumpage)
Max Storage = 42
Diversion dam
100,000 acres
North
P
l
a
tt
e
R
i
v
e
r
4
Max Groundwater Inflow
to the Platte River = 17
100,000 acres
Birdw
Kingsley Hydro
NPPD
Dam
SWI
(Water Right 3)
5
Lost
o
iversi
Water supply canal
GWI—1
Diverted Supplied
50,000 acres
NPPD — water use options
D
Max
ht 4)
er Rig
(Wat
River channel
Max Pumpage = 4
k
e
e
r
oo d C
Game Board Created by:
100,000 acres
er
LEGEND
Platte River Valley
Water Management
Role-Playing Game
100,000 acres
North Platte Riv