SErious Game for AgroEcology (SEGAE): How much can be delivered with a 4-hour lesson?

CONTEXT: European agriculture faces numerous challenges, and agroecology has emerged as a promising alternative. To facilitate this transition, integrating agroecology into agricultural education is crucial. However, its systemic and interdisciplinary nature makes it difficult to teach and learn. To support teaching, the “SErious Game for AgroEcology” (SEGAE) was developed. SEGAE is a simulated mixed crop–livestock farm model in which players can learn by doing. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to (1) assess the effectiveness of SEGAE in a 4-h lesson led by a single teacher, (2) examine the potential added value of classroom-based lessons compared to a fully online setting, and (3) analyze how students from different disciplinary backgrounds acquire agroecological knowledge. METHOD: A teacher conducted three identical 4-h lessons using SEGAE, involving undergraduate bioengineering students from four specializations. One lesson was conducted fully online, while the other two were classroom-based. Each lesson included theory, game sessions, and pre- and post-surveys to assess knowledge acquisition. Student scores were converted to percentages and analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and multiple regressions. Feedback on the learning experience was collected through 36 statements related to ‘flow’ – the level of immersion in a task. A two-factor ANOVA and a Tukey test were performed. A PCA explored the flow-knowledge acquisition relationship. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that students significantly increased their knowledge in agroecology. No significant difference between the online and classroom-based lessons on knowledge acquisition could be demonstrated. However, a negative effect was found between the online session and the reported flow levels. A striking result was the increased performance of students upon answering open-ended questions, which required them to articulate knowledge. Moreover, most students enjoyed the game (91 %) and believed it enhanced their agroecology knowledge (92 %). SIGNIFICANCE: SEGAE, in a 4-h lesson with a single teacher, is a relevant tool for teaching agroecology, achieving comparable results in knowledge acquisition and flow to a longer workshop. The impact is particularly evident in open-ended questions. The study provides complementary evidence of a link between the increase in absolute knowledge and two factors of flow: feedback and social interaction.