Photo caption: UC PhD candidate Kieron Wall with Ngauruhoe in the background.
Volcanic Explorer New Zealand builds on the existing 5-Minute Volcano card game, a fast-paced physical game believed to be the first game focused on Aotearoa New Zealand volcanoes. Both games are free, but the new digital format means anyone with a link can play and learn without needing a physical copy.
Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) HIT Lab PhD candidate Kieron Wall, who led the development of the games, says, he has always had an interest in natural disasters.
“In 2010 and 2011 we had the Christchurch earthquakes and that solidified for me that I wanted to do something regarding natural disasters.”
This shaped his decision to study geological sciences and disaster risk and resilience. Now Wall’s PhD research has focussed on how games can help young people learn about natural hazards in ways that are engaging, practical and memorable.
The digital game places players in a New Zealand coastal village, where they choose a character, explore the map and enter a series of short micro games designed to teach different aspects of volcanic science and emergency preparedness.
While the card game naturally encourages teamwork and communication, the digital version gives teachers a flexible tool they can use alongside classroom discussion, activities and guided learning.
“Each activity is linked to a specific learning goal, giving teachers the flexibility to use the game in different ways depending on what they want students to learn,” Wall says.
Wall developed the digital version at UC’s Human Interface Technology (HIT) Lab NZ together with his PhD supervisors Professor Heide Lukosch and Professor Ben Kennedy, and game developer Rodrigo Dias-Takase, and says both games were designed to make natural hazards education more engaging, memorable and useful for learners.
“Versatility was one of the key things that teachers really liked,” he says. “They have also appreciated the way the games bring together science, culture and local context.”
Wall says the games fill a gap in education resources with most disaster games he found focussed on overseas volcanoes rather than the ones in New Zealand.
“Learning about New Zealand volcanoes, and the different type of volcanoes, it’s also a game that kids can just play for fun while learning how to work together,” Wall says.
“Every teacher that we showed it to really loved how Kieron blended Māori and Western elements. It feels very Kiwi,” Professor Kennedy, from the UC School of Earth and Environment, says.
Feedback from teachers, parents and students has also highlighted the impact of the games for different learners, particularly those who may not always engage with traditional classroom activities.
The games are designed primarily for schools and students, but they are not limited to classrooms. The card game can be taken home and played with whānau, and the digital game is freely available for anyone to use.
Wall hopes the games will help more young people and their whānau understand the volcanic environments around them, and what they can do to be prepared.
The project was developed as part of Earth Sciences New Zealand's Beneath The Waves programme in collaboration with UC’s HIT Lab NZ, members of Ngāti Awa and schools, with cultural consultation helping ensure the games were connected to Aotearoa New Zealand and meaningful for local learners.
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