Serious gaming as a tool for training and learning in the Momposina Depression, Colombia

Water management in the Momposina Depression is a complex practice due to fragmentation in institutions and differing interests concerning water related problems in this dynamic system. Going towards an Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach is the first step for a sustainable development. However, this cannot be done without taking informed decisions and allowing for a participatory process. Knowledge and information are the basis for an effective water management practice and they should be enhanced in all the different actors that take part in this process. In order to transfer this concept to the context of water management and spatial planning of the region, a serious game for the Momposina Depression(SiMompox), as a complementary tool for learning and skill training, was developed. The serious gaming approach represents an innovation in Colombia; it has been considered for the aim of this research because of evidences of its effectiveness for instructional purposes and positive applications in water management and related fields. The objective of this research is to develop a serious game that allows the participants to gain knowledge about the system and about the ways decisions and implementation of measures are interconnected in different sectors and which are the effects that these will cause. Therefore, a research methodology has been developed that guides through all the steps leading to the development of the final prototype of the serious game. Moreover an evaluation methodology has been constructed with the aim to assess the effectiveness of the tool in terms of learning and training purposes. By playing this serious game, stakeholders can simulate the complexity of integrated water management. They can reach a new level of understanding of the interconnections and interrelations of processes and subsystem that characterized a certain area through a structured learning experience. Possible measures that can be simulated in the system include interventions in the hydropower sector, agriculture and natural conservation, among others. The design and process of the SiMompox serious game have been assessed as capable to support the learning experience. However, restrictions in the valuation methodology and on the characteristic of the testing sample represent the main limitations for obtaining robust results. Overall the results of this research are promising; there is a clear potential for this tool to enhance learning and knowledge transfer to the players and indirectly contribute in changing the practice of water management in the region