The mercury game: evaluating a negotiation simulation that teaches students about science-policy interactions
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13412_2014_183_ReferencePDF.pdf
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733.32 KB
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Adobe PDF
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3b674e6e4468d474271743a1a5614522
Author(s)
Selin, Noelle E.
Stokes, Leah
Selin, Noelle E
Date Issued
August 2014
Journal
Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences
Publisher
Springer US
Citation
Stokes, Leah C., and Noelle E. Selin. “The Mercury Game: Evaluating a Negotiation Simulation That Teaches Students about Science-Policy Interactions.” Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 6.3 (2016): 597–605.
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
Environmental negotiations and policy decisions take place at the science-policy interface. While this is well known within academic literature, it is often difficult to convey how science and policy interact to students in environmental studies and sciences courses. We argue that negotiation simulations, as an experiential learning tool, are one effective way to teach students about how science and policy interact in decision-making. We developed a negotiation simulation, called the mercury game, based on the global mercury treaty negotiations. To evaluate the game, we conducted surveys before and after the game was played in university classrooms across North America. For science students, the simulation communicates how politics and economics affect environmental negotiations. For environmental studies and public policy students, the mercury simulation demonstrates how scientific uncertainty can affect decision-making. Using the mercury game as an educational tool allows students to learn about complex interactions between science and society and develop communication skills.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Data, Systems, and Society
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Political Science
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-014-0183-y
