Dr Divya Patel, Lecturer at Salford Business School, recently presented her research at the International Active Learning Conference 2025, sharing innovative teaching practice in sustainability education. Her paper, ‘Game-based carbon learning: how gamification enhances sustainability education’, explored how interactive tools can improve learner engagement and deepen understanding of climate issues.
The conference brought together educators and researchers from across disciplines to showcase student-centred, creative teaching methods that are reshaping how we approach learning in a rapidly changing world.
Making climate education relatable
At the centre of Dr Patel’s presentation was the ‘How bad are bananas? Game’, an interactive educational tool created by The Future We Want, inspired by Mike Berners-Lee’s well-known book on the carbon footprint of everything. The game asks a deceptively simple question: which of these two everyday items has a lower carbon footprint?
From bananas vs cheeseburgers to text messages vs emails, the game surprises participants with unexpected insights into the climate impact of daily decisions. It shifts the focus from abstract carbon metrics to everyday choices that feel tangible and personal.
From data to action
A key theme of Dr Patel’s presentation was the need to move beyond charts and statistics and towards meaningful, memorable learning experiences. By translating complex data into visual, scenario-based comparisons, the game helps learners build intuitive understanding, encouraging them to think critically and act practically.
Dr Patel said: “Sharing this work at the International Active Learning Conference was energising. It reaffirmed the value of creative pedagogy and the need to make sustainability education engaging, inclusive, and actionable.”