There are a variety of online games which aim to promote an understanding about social justice. In groups of 2-3, you will be allocated one game.
1st half hour
Play it for about 20 min and prepare a short review of it (ppt and email to BT):
- name & description
- aspect of social justice it addresses
- how well it does this
- what did you learn about the issue?
- you should include a few screenshots
2nd half hour
- present reviews
3rd half hour
- based on reviews, you may play one or more of these games only!!
The Games / Simulations
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/spent/
Live the life of someone without much money – how to spend limited money, too poor for doctor etc. Location: USA
Poverty in wealthy country: pretty good representation of issues
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/sweatshop/
‘Sick game’ where you hire adults or kids (cheaper) to work in a sweatshop, to make products for minimum cost. Fail and the boss swears at you and fires you.
Child Labour / Sweatshop: pretty good – people get injured, crying children, poor working conditions
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/wildfire/
Didn’t work
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/3rd-world-farmer/
You are a farming family in 3rd world family: drought, illness, poor years, militia. Start with little money, control farming decisions, gives you an ‘annual report yearly’ – health of family – give them medicine. Deaths at young ages (40 or so for parents, kids at 10)
3rd world countries – pretty good
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/free-rice/
Play vocab game – definitions / synonyms – you get 10 grains of rice for every correct answer. World Food Programme (UN Agency) – so real people benefit from you playing games. Other languages are there too.
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/darfur-is-dying/
You are a kid who goes to collect water (about 4km each way) while avoiding militia / soldiers.
Shows poverty, conflict, access to drinking water
http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/ayiti-the-cost-of-life/
Role play as a family below the poverty line in Haiti – how to survive by working, paying bills etc. Pick a life path and follow it through.
Showed how hard it is to earn money and keep family healthy. Badly affected by things we wouldn’t expect etc.
‘The parable of the polygons’: segregation in society
Or the menu is here – choose one from the categories of:
Poverty
Human Rights
