Inspired to build understanding: learning about sustainability and environmental education from within a virtual world

Abstract

This study explores the use of virtual worlds, specifically Minecraft, on sustainability education and cognitive skills. Using the Teaching to Inspire model as a lens, we examine how students design sustainable virtual buildings and cityscapes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the social-ecological systems (SES) framework. Our research demonstrates how virtual experiences can inspire future-thinking mindsets. The findings underscore the significance of curiosity, passion, and drive in the conative domain as housed in promoting student engagement and understanding of sustainability. The study emphasises the crucial role of teachers in facilitating critical thinking, inquiry, and reflection within virtual spaces to create a sense of place and emotional connection. This paper contributes to the existing literature on sustainability education and provides valuable insights into the potential of virtual worlds for environmental education.

Keywords:

• Environmental education
• future thinking
• sense-of-place
• social-ecological systems framework
• teaching to inspire
• sustainable virtual worlds

Introduction

As we hike through Australia’s fantastic bushland, a gap in the towering trees reveals a natural environment spanning an ancient landscape cut by the thread of a meandering creek. We can sense a blanket of warm air stirring the leaves of an Acacia pycnantha (Golden Wattle) dotted with yellow flowers. We pitch camp beside a billabong and look upwards at the grand canopy of Eucalyptus camaldulensis (River Red Gum) to smell the air scented with strange yet familiar oils. We muse and wonder as environmental educators about the potential of immersive technology to enhance student learning and engagement in sustainability education. Sterling (2001) notes that learning is the key to a more sustainable world. In this paper, we contend that learning about the environment can be taught by using the potential of emerging virtual worlds for active learning to nurture higher-order thinking, critical thinking and ‘sense of place’. Within these constructivist environments, teachers can help inspire students to build sustainable homes and enable a desire to act (Gregory et al., 2012).

This study explores how teachers can inspire learners to understand sustainability, connect with their local environment, and nurture core sustainability values. The research investigates the effectiveness of building sustainable virtual houses and cityscapes as an innovative approach to teaching students about sustainable living, even with minimal prior knowledge. By integrating the social-ecological systems framework (SES), the study considers the intricate interplay between social and ecological systems for enhancing sustainability and resilience (Vogt et al., 2015). Building upon previous research by the authors (Gesthuizen et al., 2020), which proposes an inspired learning model, the study aims to foster student engagement and emotional involvement to address real-world sustainability challenges.

This study provides valuable insights for educators seeking to adopt innovative teaching methods that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sheds light on how education for sustainable development could be realised over the next decade, as questioned by Chang and Kidman, (2018). Additionally, the research delves into the impact of building sustainable virtual homes on inspiring students to develop core sustainability values and a positive environmental mindset, analysing the activity’s influence on students’ learning and engagement. Thus, we explore the research question:

What is the impact of building sustainable virtual homes on inspiring students to develop core sustainability values and a positive mindset towards the environment?

Social-ecological systems framework

This paper uses Ostrom’s (2009) social-ecological systems framework (SES) to explore the complex interplay between human action and the environment. The framework recognises the integral role of humans in the ecosystem and our potential to impact the environment. It highlights the interdependence, interconnectedness, and co-evolution of social and ecological systems through feedback loops. The SES framework suggests that a resource system’s sustainability is determined by the complex interactions of four components: A resource system, resource units, actors, and a governance system. While this framework is typically used to analyse real-world contexts like forestry or fishing, Partelow (2018) and Gal et al. (2023) have applied this framework to assess social-ecological system sustainability and children’s environmental understandings through drawings. Our study adopts it to investigate the interactions within a virtual environment. We assess students’ involvement in sustainable building design and communication of lifestyle choices while also evaluating the effectiveness of virtual environments in inspiring student action and guiding impactful teaching methods for educators.

Achieving sustainable development through education

Complex environmental challenges confronting the global community will affect cultural practices, lifestyle choices, and progress. Sustainable development has been described as an intractable and wicked problem, marred by a discrepancy between the desired future and our current trajectory (Pryshlakivsky & Searcy, 2013). In response, the UN General Assembly, (2015) adopted a resolution to end poverty and hunger whilst protecting the planet through sustainable consumption and production, natural resource management, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, and taking urgent action on climate change. The UN Assembly (2018) ratified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 4 emphasises education to promote sustainable living, with inclusive education (Goal 4.7) fostering gender equality, human rights, peace, and cultural diversity. SDG Goals 2, 6, 7, and 12 empower students to address hunger, water, sanitation, energy, and consumption. Efforts include sustainable agriculture, waste reduction, clean water access, and promoting renewable energy for a sustainable future. Jacques Delors, the former president of the European Commission, envisioned in 1996 a lifelong learning approach for a sustainable future. The integrated vision rests on four pillars - knowledge acquisition, practical skills development, personal growth, and social cohesion (Delors, 2013). Black (1998) and Combes (2005) proposed a fifth pillar, highlighting learning for personal and societal transformation (see Table 1).

Table 1. Pillars of learning.

Learning pillars first suggested by Delors (1996)

Pillar promoted by Black & Combes

Learning to know, which covers basic tools such as literacy and oral expression. Learning to do, which covers competence to deal with life and with work. Learning to be, which covers development of artistic abilities, personality, and critical and autonomous thinking. Learning to live together, which covers personal relations within the family and community, including conflict resolution and tolerance towards others.

Learning to transform others and self, which answer the development component covering respect for the environment, respect for social solidarity, and respect for a non-discriminatory, gender-sensitive world.

I n addition to promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustainability, it is essential for teachers to adopt a transformative approach that empowers students to comprehend global challenges and take positive action. This involves helping students grasp world complexity and shifting from ‘overwhelmed’ to feeling ‘empowered’ (Wals & Mathie, 2022). As Sterling, (2001) wrote, to drive this change, “we need to transform in order to become transformative”.

Our study adopts an educational approach that connects students to their local culture and community, instilling an understanding of sustainable food, water, sanitation, and energy. We hope this will lead to an ongoing student commitment to protect and nurture the environment with a drive to action (Agirreazkuenaga & Martinez, 2021). Towards this, we will explore the transformative nature of a virtual experience to foster curiosity, challenge student assumptions, and inspire sustainable thinking.

Inspiration as a transformative agent

Teachers and scientists often draw inspiration from their work that drives deeper learning. Mezirow described transformative learning as a process often triggered by disorienting dilemmas, which can be a personal or social crisis (Kitchenham, 2008). For instance, a historical case study of three environmental scientists (Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson and David Suzuki) conducted by Walter, (2013) noted that each underwent a transformation driven by critical dilemmas, which ignited their passion and drove towards a greater ecological, environmental consciousness and global awareness. These dilemmas were often emotional experiences with nature, family relationships and natural objects such as dead wolves, birds, and trees. Replicating this epiphany and real-world experiences inside a classroom poses a challenge for teachers. Nevertheless, environmental educators have devised methods to introduce contexts and situations that capture students’ attention and require their deep focus.

Teachers can instil a sense of purpose and urgency towards a sustainable future by distinguishing between education for change and education in change (Sterling, 2001). By incorporating ecological sustainability and social justice dilemmas into classroom activities and discussions, teachers can inspire students to become reflective agents of change. Seke, (2000) advocates for deep-rooted critical thinking and sustainability concepts to instil positive environmental attitudes and values, while Morgan, (2015) emphasises the significance of geographical education in comprehending and preparing for potential futures

An inspired teaching approach can expose students to challenging situations and multiple perspectives, push them out of their comfort zones, and cultivate their passion for building a sustainable future. McDowell, (2020) describes this as creating perspective and crafting perplexity.

A sustainability adaptation of the Teaching to Inspire model (Figure 1) by the authors (Gesthuizen et al., 2020) offers a valuable lens into how teachers inspire young builders by stimulating curiosity, deep reflection, and learning within the context of environmental education. This approach explores the psychological compartments of the mind spanning cognitive, affective, and conative domains (Reeves, 2011) that guide decisions emphasising the role of curiosity, trust, and agency in fostering deep learning and transformational change.

Figure 1. Teaching to inspire for sustainability model. Adapted from (Gesthuizen et al., 2020).

Incorporating this model into discussions on inspiring students to build sustainable constructions in virtual worlds (Minecraft™) with a focus on affective factors like emotions, interests, and values gives us a better understanding of complex interactions between technology and learner understandings. The model is a valuable framework for comprehending learning experiences that deeply connect with students, especially for conative aspects like the drive to persist. These influences are crucial when prioritising culture and problem-solving (Seah, 2019) and can facilitate our discussions on students’ agency and sense of place, inspiring them to take an active role in the natural world.

Our research question prompts us to consider how teachers can inspire students to cultivate core sustainability values and a positive environmental mindset aligned with the SDGs. We explored this using emerging virtual worlds as an innovative platform for promoting sustainability education. In this context, we present three studies of young builders designing sustainable buildings in virtual worlds, analysed through the SES framework lens and the Teaching to Inspire for Sustainability model (Figure 1) housed in the conative domain. Our findings offer insights for educators promoting sustainability education in emerging virtual spaces and suggest future research directions.

Research method

Case study participants

This research explored students’ learning experiences through three diverse cases, each representing different locations and cultural contexts. Participants engaged in designing and constructing sustainable virtual homes or cityscapes inspired by their local context, using a creative gameplay mode. Teachers actively encouraged the young builders to maintain focus, observe their surroundings, and engage in deep thinking. As change agents, the students were empowered to make sustainable choices for their building designs.

The tasks were intentionally designed to be pleasantly frustrating, challenging the builders to extend their understanding while remaining achievable (Gee, 2005) and fostering empathy for a sustainable future. The study aspired to explore how teachers could influence positive student attitudes toward sustainability, enhance their agency, and foster a future-oriented mindset. The goal was to initiate a transformation that would lead to a commitment to sustainable living and long-term solutions.

Chang et al., (2019) noted that we need to contextualise where, when and why this learning is essential; thus, each case can only be studied in its contextual framework to retain its meaning and coherence. The first case examines a young builder designing a sustainable house with a learning experience triggered after looking up at the sky. In the second case, a group of isolated students on a coral atoll collaborated to build homes by learning about their critical water, food, and energy needs. The third case took part in a public festival where students redesigned the buildings around a city square, drawing inspiration from their surroundings and imagination of a better, more sustainable world (see Table 2).

Table 2. Case studies.

Case	Location	Cultural Context
A	Regular classroom. Melbourne, Australia	Secondary aged student working alone, Urban setting
B	Isolated with family. Maldives, Indian Ocean	Primary aged students with family. Remote Coral Atoll, COVID-19 isolation
C	Outdoor public event. Melbourne, Australia	Primary aged students working together, Metropolitan city square

Virtual world selection and pedagogical alignment

In this study, teachers challenged students to design and construct a sustainable building within Minecraft Education¹, the chosen platform for the virtual world. Minecraft’s versatility allows players to adopt different approaches to gameplay and learning (Zolyomi & Schmalz, 2017), including reframing identity as architects and builders (Overby & Jones, 2015). The software aligns with a constructionist view of the learning (Niemeyer & Gerber, 2015). It exhibits a constructivist orientation that supports the problem (Smeaton & Prestridge, 2016), making it a suitable choice for this educational context.

Boddy and Hunt (2020) state that Minecraft facilitates critical thinking about geographical concepts by representing different biomes and its simulation of diverse weather conditions like snow, rainfall and sunlight, impacting the growth and harvesting of resources. The game also allows for the creation of new tools or objects through crafting, requiring players to carefully plan and manage resources to avoid depletion (Katsaliaki & Mustafee, 2015) and prevent ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’ (Harding 1964 as cited in Feeny et al., 1990).

Research by McNally and Andrade (2022) emphasises the transformative potential of Minecraft in teaching and engaging with nature, describing it as a potential “game-changer. Hobbs and Behenna, (2023) note the parallels between real-world processes and settings. Exploring a virtual city (Minecraft Education, 2022) can help provide students with valuable insights into sustainable living principles, challenges, and opportunities. The researchers have previously noted that many new builders often start playing by constructing a dwelling for decoration and personal use (Harrison & Gesthuizen, 2019).

Instrumentation and data collection

To improve the generalisability of this study, a multiple-case study approach was chosen to enable transparent observation of the entity under investigation (Gray, 2014). A naturalistic methodological approach was used for each case to examine designing and constructing a sustainable building without any researcher’s intervention (Cohen et al., 2017). This approach was deemed appropriate to gain insights into social and psychological phenomena as they occur in real-life situations, as experienced in a virtual space, given the study’s utilisation of the SES Framework and Teaching to Inspire for Sustainability model.

To observe the game-play sessions, the first author did not interact with the participants directly. This approach is comparable to that used in museums to track and follow student behaviour in an exhibition space (Mulcahy, 2019). Moving through each space and listening to students allowed the researcher to analyse the mechanics and construction of each creation and its narrative. The gaze, avatar behaviour and technology used to determine the attention and the pedagogic impact were examined.

Using Bryman’s (2008) approach, data on how young builders use technology to create a sustainable building in a virtual world was collected through online public video recordings, photographs and observations. Qualitative data was the dominant source of information for each case study, with all activities being publicly accessible and recordings made available online. Coding and thematic analysis were employed to identify recurring patterns and themes within the extensive recordings, field notes and interview transcripts. Care was taken to preserve privacy and anonymity, with perspectives reported as anonymised syntheses or pseudonyms used where appropriate (Creswell, 2013).

Johri’s (2011) socio-material bricolage framework focused on the user role and transformation in technology-in-use design rather than on the Minecraft software or artifact design. To understand participants’ feelings and experiences, a cross-case analysis was used to identify emerging themes and relationships by examining narrative, social, and material threads. This approach allowed for a comprehensive understanding of participant considerations while synthesising insights across cases (Gray, 2014).

Results

At the onset of the activity, the students demonstrated diverse levels of prior knowledge regarding sustainable living. Many sought clarifications about the sustainability goals, whilst some displayed more confidence and promptly engaged in the design process. A prevalent misconception observed in all groups initially was that sustainability required sacrificing enjoyable aspects of life. However, through the immersive activity, students realised that sustainability could also encompass joyful, environmentally friendly, and socially just ways of living. Upon completion, all students expressed pride in their creations, emphasising the originality and importance of their contributions.

Case A: the sustainable house that turned into a home

Students were tasked with demonstrating their understanding of sustainability and energy conservation through model-building. While most students used cardboard to craft their model, Matt (pseudonym) chose Minecraft, a game he found enjoyable, to construct a virtual model of a sustainable house. Matt conducted virtual tours of his construction (see Figure 2), facilitating peer feedback. He shared his experience by recording a screencast, which the first author later analysed (Gesthuizen & Kidman, 2018).

Figure 2. A sustainable house as a healthy family home.

Matt encountered technical challenges during the virtual building process that led to acquiring new skills. This experience provided him with a unique perspective, influencing his thinking and design approach as he explored the structure’s interior and exterior. Matt seamlessly integrated his science and technology knowledge within his narration, adding a layer of realism and fluidity to his virtual tour. The following extract from his tour exemplifies how the virtual experience enriched his understanding and presentation.

“Yes, I put that there to let the light in, that is what I thought they wanted. Everything [is] also pretty realistic … As you can see, there’s a little [skylight above] this actually lets a lot of natural light from the windows that are going down. Water OK. That’s adding the extra natural light in [too] … … Yes, it’s good for family health” (Gesthuizen & Kidman, 2018)

Matt had strategically planned his virtual house’s internal layout and structure to maximise available natural light. By creatively positioning a water feature above a skylight, he allowed light to illuminate the basement through the water. He also noted the moon’s position and aligned the building with its pathway through the sky or the ecliptic, which is crucial in designing solar-friendly homes. The transcript shows that Matt had a keen sense of ownership and place, adding a kitchen, library, and television to his design, demonstrating empathy towards the sustainability problem by stating that this was his house and his solution.

Matt demonstrated his understanding of the science and technology of sustainable living. However, his imagination of a sustainable and liveable family home in his real world added a personal perspective and gave substance to his insights and embellishments. His understanding and unique perspective allowed him to recognise that a sustainable home is a healthy home linked to family health. Other students, who used cardboard in their constructions, missed this critical insight by Matt, highlighting the depth of his thinking about sustainability.

Virtual spaces can help inspire students to envisage their homes as sustainable spaces with renewable energy and lighting such that:

• The placement of walls and windows in a house can affect energy transfer and minimise energy use.

• Indoor lighting can be enhanced by carefully orienting the building and rooms to use skylights and channels to facilitate light transfer deep into the house.

• Including features such as furnishing, and corridors can enhance the airflow through a house and contribute to overall liveability indoors.

Case B: imagining an island to survive

Thirty students living on low-lying coral atolls in the Indian Ocean were tasked with designing a sustainable house model while experiencing pandemic-related isolation. To facilitate virtual schooling, they were introduced to Minecraft. Within this shared virtual realm, the students actively participated in online discussions to share ideas and research findings, and also conducted informal walkthroughs of their respective ongoing building projects. At the activity conclusion, they shared one-minute video tours of their sustainable houses, observed by the first author, who generated a transcript for analysis.

Students used alternative energy sources such as solar panels and a hydroelectric dam to power homes and supply water. They employed passive cooling through rooftop gardens or strategically positioned skylights to reduce the energy demand. When students explicitly noted that these initiatives would reduce carbon emissions, they illustrated an excellent understanding of the environmental imperative of sourcing renewable energy and careful design using natural light sources (Figure 3). Not only is this evidence that the students knew sustainability measures, but they also understood how to apply and represent this learning in an integrated and interdisciplinary way.

Figure 3. Managing food, water and light.

The students in our study demonstrated remarkable creativity as they adorned their virtual sites with a range of sustainable features, including orchards, gardens, and animal pens. Moreover, they surpassed the initial requirements by incorporating various building enhancements to enhance liveability, such as adding flowerpots, decorations, and fully furnished rooms.

One student took the initiative to incorporate rooftop gardens or greenhouses for fruit and vegetable cultivation. Another added a hydroponics system and companion fish farm to grow crops indoors to create a closed waste cycle, using plants to feed fish and fish waste to feed plants. A nearby pond could grow bamboo as a raw material. This example reveals the importance of virtual home connections with significant global carbon, water, and waste cycles as a valued consideration of sustainable living. Figure 4 illustrates some text created in the virtual platform that illustrates this socio-ecological awareness.

Figure 4. Managing energy and waste recycling.

To improve the sustainability of their immediate environment, students can draw inspiration from virtual spaces to incorporate the following key learnings:

• Production technologies can be integrated to meet needs and enhance liveability.

• Sustainable crops can provide a food source, with waste repurposed.

• Renewable energy sources can be harnessed to power homes.

Case C: a festival that reimagined a city

A festival promoting healthy food options was held outside Federation Square, Melbourne. It featured a variety of local and Indigenous Australian foods, inviting the public to explore and taste different options. Students engaged with their peers whilst using devices connected to an anonymous community server and collaborated on a 3D cityscape (DETVic, 2019). They shared ideas about modifying buildings and incorporating vegetation to cultivate nutritious crops. Over time they contributed new garden beds filled with flowers, nutritious vegetables and fruit trees, then adorned neighbouring walls with vertical gardens and vines. The large screen enabled collaborating students to exist at the junction of the same physical and virtual spaces, an alignment that some found paradoxical and curiously playful. Students enjoyed the novelty of this sustainability activity, as evidenced by their expressions and hand gestures whilst glancing at their devices and pointing at surrounding buildings.

When questioned about their creations by a parent, one child eagerly pointed to the virtual garden on the screen and then excitedly pointed at the nearby paving stones, disregarding the iPad used for the virtual experience. This striking instance was captured with two camera views: one on a large screen before initiating the garden construction (see Figure 5a), and the other behind their virtual garden, gazing back at the large screen (see Figure 5b). Arrows connect equivalent parts of each image. This was repeated by other children with another directing their parent’s attention, excitedly identifying a hanging vertical garden on "this wall" and another to their beehive atop "that roof."

Figure 5. Children working at the junction of a real and virtual worlds, enjoying the playful alignment. (a) Makerspace located in the real city square with large screen displaying a virtual world view. (b) Vegetable garden located in virtual city square looking back at an analogue of the large screen.

After creating sustainable objects in the virtual world, each child repositioned themselves in the physical world, facing their virtual constructions. This imaginative integration was intricately linked to their body’s position and alignment, offering valuable insights into the geospatial reasoning and cognitive processes while interacting with the sustainable and virtual cityscape. Moreover, the activity not only unleashed the agency of their imagination but also led to a profoundly transformative learning experience beyond acquiring knowledge about cityscapes and gardens with observed changes extended to their affective and conative domains to persist with the task.

Key learnings from this case demonstrate that virtual spaces can inspire students to rethink cities and communities as a larger sustainable ecosystem to inhabit, where;

• Public areas can be sustainable and nourishing with crops, beehives and gardens.

• Greening a city can include an enjoyable and environmentally pleasing aesthetic.

• Children can apply geospatial reasoning in a cityscape with the help of digital twin.

Discussion

Before this analysis, we speculated that many young builders would focus on a pragmatic building favouring a utilitarian and urbanised design. A “cross-case” analysis revealed some interesting differences and similarities, plus five emergent themes.

The builders used resources for each construction to create objects, make tools, and plant trees. They carefully considered the materials used for construction, furniture, and lighting. They also used an ordinal coordinate system to position the foundations and placed windows strategically to allow maximum sunlight and illuminate indoor gardens and living areas. The virtual worlds created by the students were designed with sustainable living in mind, incorporating ecological choices like gardens, solar panels, locally sourced wood blocks, and rainwater harvesting. Thoughtful planning was done to ensure proper irrigation for watering and nourishing plants. These choices demonstrate an understanding of social-ecological considerations in sustainable building design, aligning with the SES framework (see Table 3).

Table 3. Representation of SES tiers in a virtual world model.

SES Tier	as represented in this study
1. Resource system	The environment of the virtual working space that simulates an imperfect model of the real-world, with sustainable resources available for students to choose from when building their sustainable home.
2. Resource users	The students themselves who are interacting with the environment of the virtual world, making decisions about which resources to use to build a sustainable home and how to position and configure for an energy efficient orientation.
3. Governance system	The advice shared by the teacher about building a sustainable home in this virtual space with the starting point for young builders, types of resources available for use and collection plus any guidelines for sustainable design practices.
4. External environment	The factors ‘outside’ that may impact on their design choices such as real-world environmental challenges (e.g. climate change), cultural and social factors that may influence their attitudes towards sustainability design or liveability.

To return to the hike in the Australian bushland as described in the introduction, we continue our camping with a tree planning activity. During the activity, students must consider factors like optimum location, co-planting, and plant size for a meaningful experience. An enthusiastic teacher plays a crucial role in deepening student awareness, stimulating awe and wonder, and fostering a deeper understanding of actions and the ecological impact of their choices (Gal et al., 2023) during the immersive experience. Virtual worlds also offer immersive sensory experiences (McMahon & McGannon, 2016) housed in the affective domain. An inspired teaching approach creates a supportive environment, igniting passion in the conative domain, then gently nudges students towards new skills and learnings. The nurturing of pro-environmental behaviours contributes to a sustainable future mindset.

The virtual worlds in each case initially appeared chaotic, unstable and disordered. Upon careful examination, it was evident that the builders held a strong affection for their sustainable constructions, fostering a pleasant environment of customised liveability and atmosphere. Each explored the virtual space presented as a unique opportunity to study geospatial reasoning and the concept of a sense of place, a critical concept in environmental education, such as the joy revealed through exploring maps (Kidman & Chang, 2023). Applying the scale by van Hielde (1999) suggests that students in each case operated at the highest level of geometric thinking. It stresses the importance of providing teachers and students opportunities to explore and develop this geospatial thinking with new and useful tools in the classroom (Brown et al., 2023). Despite limited research on assessing students’ spatial thinking skills, Hickman, (2023) notes that more attention should be given to developing and evaluating these skills in formal education. Sense of place can foster pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours (Kudryavtsev et al., 2012). In this context, Peeters, (2020) introduces the Dutch term gezellig, characterising a place that evokes a sense of well-being that captures the uniqueness, safety, and intrinsic value of each builder’s virtual realm, even in the absence of occupants, fostering stronger connections and familiarity for students. Dittmer (2010) notes that 3D virtual worlds, built to foster a sense of place and socialisation, transcend traditional geographic e-learning approaches by providing immersive and interactive experiences, allowing for expression beyond purely text or vocal communication.

For each case, the young builders thought deeply about their understandings and changed their attitudes through immersion, discourse, and imagery. The buildings pleased the students aesthetically and represented a fundamental shift in their attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable living in both the virtual and real worlds. This transformation resembles Walter’s dilemmas and experiences about a natural landscape (2013). In one case, the construction of the sustainable home evoked a sense of comfort and authenticity, fostering shared ownership and agency. In another case, the virtual world transitioned into a sustainable representation of reality, offering a shareable experience open to progressive enhancement and joy. These findings underscore the potential of virtual spaces to challenge and influence environmental thinking, attitudes, and behaviours, promoting a sense of place and sustainable living. Understanding the impact of environmentally sustainable development involves interpreting the local environment, spatial reasoning skills, and mindset while connecting to different objects in that space. Hanley, (2005) suggests an eco-semiotics approach, recognising nature’s knowledge mediated by an active mind within a specific culture.

Teachers are crucial in equipping students with the knowledge and skills to face emerging sustainability challenges and inspire the students to become change agents (Steidle, 2021). This requires an empathic approach to problem-solving, encouraging profound self-reflection and increased student engagement. Co-designing with students can help foster ownership, transforming them into active change agents in their learning (Gee, 2005). The Teaching to Inspire for Sustainability model (Figure 1) suggests that teachers should nurture curiosity, stimulate passion, and drive to persist, as housed in the conative domain. A student building a virtual sustainable home may imbue it with digital ownership, creating a welcoming and gezellig space. Inspiring students in the virtual realm, like planting a seedling on a field trip, can help foster a sense of stewardship towards a sustainable future.

Teachers working within an imperfect simulation of virtual worlds must integrate and embed meaningful learning activities and narratives that stimulate deep thinking, learning, and inquiry about sustainability. Involving students in Hard Fun (Papert, 2002) immerses them in a virtual space to tackle intricate environmental problems, thus reshaping their perceptions of the real world. Learners control the details, design, and playful approach, while the teacher oversees the process, task, and context (Hase & Kenyon, 2017).

In all three cases presented in this paper, the young builders employed personal narratives rooted in their local environments to reframe their understanding of environmental issues. Dittmer, (2010) observed that immersive virtual worlds can enhance students’ conceptualizations of representation, narrativity, and affect. Baker’s (2018) exploration of a 3D medium further reflected how narratives can effectively connect amusement, architecture, material culture, and technology. Teachers play a crucial role in helping students navigate the complexity of the SES framework and SDGs to grasp that environmental sustainability must harmoniously coexist within the rich complexity of human culture, avoiding attempts to control, challenge, or tame it within a virtual world. Inspired by this, students can develop an inquiry mindset about their place in the world and the future, fostering questioning of assumptions, nurturing curiosity, and encouraging them to scrutinise complex relationships, engage in discussions, contemplate and deeply reflect upon the essence of sustainable living.

Pedagogical implications

Virtual worlds offer a transformative platform for sustainability education, immersing students in environments that spark a passion for sustainability principles and enable them to embrace their role as sustainability pioneers. Hands-on experiences, like building sustainable structures in virtual realms, can be combined with real-world field trips to create a rich learning experience. By incorporating the Dutch concept of ‘gezellig’, a sense of comfort and belonging, educators can cultivate emotional connections to sustainable spaces, fostering pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours. Inspired teaching, fuelled by passion, innovation, and a deep commitment to sustainability, can empower students to become active agents of positive change. An eco-semiotics approach, which integrates knowledge about nature within cultural contexts, can guide sustainable design practices. By embracing these pedagogical implications, educators can prepare future generations to navigate the challenges of the Anthropocene and build a more sustainable world for all.

Conclusion

The cases presented in this study illustrate how virtual worlds can help foster a sense of purpose and commitment towards a sustainable future. Through progressive tinkering and recursively working on their virtual solutions, the young builders improved their creations into profoundly personal, ‘gezellig’ and sociable environmental spaces to share. Designing sustainable buildings in virtual worlds can align well with the SES framework, offering novel applications for understanding complex interactions in similar virtual spaces. Their hands-on experience and firsthand connection with the natural world lead to a transformation of their understandings and identity, interrogating notions of geography and commitment to sustainability (Dittmer, 2010). Immersive virtual worlds hold considerable promise for promoting higher-order cognitive and geospatial skills among students, bridging real and virtual environments to explore fantastical possibilities (Gregory et al., 2012) and alternative futures in line with SDGs, making geographical education an important arena for the study and understanding of probable futures (Morgan, 2015).

Drawing upon the Teaching to Inspire for Sustainability model (Figure 1) Top of Formthis study emphasises the importance of conative factors (curiosity, passion, and drive) in stimulating student engagement and fostering a deeper understanding and emotional connection to sustainability. Practical communication skills facilitated participants’ collaboration, conflict resolution, and goal attainment. While virtual worlds showed efficacy in promoting sustainability education by blending real-world physical experiences with virtual environments, constructing physical models with toolkits like cardboard or LEGO™ building blocks in face-to-face, makerspace settings (Kidman et al., 2022; STELR, 2018) remains a valued approach for environmental education. For future investigations, we propose pre- and post-activity interviews to assess the efficacy of sustainability education and inclusivity.

Our study highlights the transformative potential of virtual worlds in fostering environmental stewardship among students. The immersive experience of constructing a virtual sustainable home cultivates a positive attitude towards sustainability and the environment. Additionally, exploring a pedagogy of inspiration to empower students’ agency and facilitate transformative learning holds immense promise. As we conclude this paper amidst the serenity of a scout campsite in the bush, we are reminded that our mission to educate about sustainability extends beyond preserving natural beauty. Situated at the intersection of virtual and real-world experiences, we are humbled by nature’s enduring inspiration.

Epilogue

We want to thank the numerous volunteers who managed our public and virtual worlds, Dr Deana Leahy, Dr Ibrahim Latheef, Dr Mathew Harrison, and especially Stephen Elford for their support and encouragement.

Disclosure statement

The Authors declare in advance a conflict of interest in that the third Author (Kidman) is the Co-Editor of IRGEE. Throughout the entire editorial review process of the paper, Kidman was not involved. The editorial review process was the sole responsibility of her Co-Editor Chang Chew Hung.

Notes

1 Minecraft Education [computer software] Microsoft Corporation https://education.minecraft.net.