Simulating European Climate Policy Negotiations in a Teacher Training Seminar: Which Effects Can Be Detected?

Abstract

With the help of a case study on a simulation of a European Council meeting on EU climate policy, this article seeks to assess the impact of such an experiential learning intervention on students’ subjectively perceived affiliation with European and international policy processes. In how far can the findings of this explorative and qualitative inquiry, designed as action research, suggest that simulation games have the potential to positively affect students’ subjective relation and thus also attitude, interest and motivation concerning the subject matter? An explorative, qualitative study, using a quasi- and pre-experimental setting based on a presurvey, a group discussion and two post-surveys conducted 1 month and 1 year after the course, seeks to give the respective insights. The inquiry thus focuses on affective learning and asks in how far simulations can have the potential to alter their participants’ subjective relation towards the subject in such ways that they reduce feelings of distance and increase interest and awareness.