Sustainable decisions are important for a company's success, but they are very complex. The InnoVET PLUS project NaTuL helps trainees in the transport and logistics industry to balance economic efficiency, environmental protection and social compatibility - with a computer game and accompanying seminar.
A daily balancing act
Should we buy electric lorries even though our existing fleet is still operational? Should we plan our transport routes so that our drivers have enough time for deliveries and access to sanitary facilities? Should we invest in a solar system for the warehouse or in a green roof? Such decisions are part of everyday life in the transport and logistics industry - and they are rarely clear-cut. Sustainable action means harmonising social, economic and ecological aspects. What makes economic sense is not necessarily the best social or ecological solution - and vice versa.
Making sustainable decisions in a playful way
To help tomorrow's specialists better master these trade-offs, the InnoVET PLUS project "NaTuL"(Sustainabilityin the transport and logistics industry) is developing an innovative learning format: a 90-hour IHK certificate course that combines a computer game (serious game) with an accompanying seminar. "We want to put apprentices in realistic academic appointment situations in which they can act as sustainably as possible," says Alina Hank from the University of Oldenburg.
How the serious game works
In the game, participants control the transport and logistics department of a retail company. In addition to a free game mode for route planning, there are six tricky scenario missions in which they have to make sustainable decisions - the effects of which are directly visible in the game. This involves operational decisions at specialist level as well as strategic decisions at management level. In addition to imparting knowledge, the aim is to promote the trainees' ability to act, independence and problem-solving skills.
Learning with a game and seminar
The game is supplemented by an accompanying seminar in which the basic content is taught and the scenarios are discussed before and after the game: What worked particularly well? What aspects need to be considered for the next topic? The trainees play the serious game in their free time, which is why it is initially developed for tablets or smartphones. An AI adjusts the level of difficulty so that beginners and experienced gamers are equally challenged. The free play mode and the first scenario are currently being developed. The offer is aimed at apprentices in academic appointments such as freight forwarding and logistics services, wholesale and foreign trade management, industrial clerks, warehouse specialists and warehouse logistics specialists.
Balancing fun and learning objectives
How do you turn learning material into a captivating game? Stefan Hoffmann from Serious Games Solutions explains: "Our job is to turn dry learning content into cool game content." Together with the University of Oldenburg, his team develops ideas on how content can be translated into exciting missions. The scenario is revised after each test round - until the fun of the game and the learning objective are a perfect match. Dr Eva Unruh from the University of Oldenburg, herself a qualified freight forwarding and logistics specialist, provides support in designing the learning content and ensures the practical check.
Practical test and future prospects
The complete game plus seminar programme will be tested by the University of Oldenburg in 2027 with at least 15 apprentices. An examining board, including representatives of the Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce, will evaluate the performance in the seminar and the transfer tasks in the training company at the end and award the official certificates. Companies are already showing great interest in the programme - not least because it allows them to increase their attractiveness as a training company.
The project team is developing a transfer concept in the coming year to ensure that the programme can be used widely in practice. The certificate course for apprentices could, for example, be offered on a permanent basis by the university training provider C3L - Centre for Lifelong Learningor by the Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce. It could also be used in further education programmes and as part of business studies at the university. In addition, applications are already underway in the northern German transport and logistics sector for a comprehensive roll-out.
Would you like to take part in the trial or offer the course yourself? Get in touch with
Alina Hank: alina.hank@uni-oldenburg.de, 0441 798-4174
Alicia Moss: alicia.janica.moss@uni-oldenburg.de, 0441 798-4131
The project partners at NaTuL:
University of Oldenburg
- Department of Vocational and Business Education: research focus including vocational education for sustainable development, learning tasks and competence acquisition and development; project leader, content design of learning content, scientific support
- Department of Sustainability and Supply Chain Management: Expertise in the areas of supply chain management and sustainability management; content design of learning content
- C3L - Centre for Lifelong Learning: University of Oldenburg's advanced scientific training centre for in-service, practice-oriented further education; transfer, consolidation, public relations and dissemination
Serious Games Solutions, a divison of Promotion Software GmbH: Game design and technical realisation of Serious Game
We would like to thank the author Benjamin Dresen from the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) for his kind permission for publication in our blog. The article was taken from the website of the project InnoVetthe innovation competition for excellent academic appointments.
Contact
Dr Joachim Stöter (C3L), T +49(0)441 798-2052, E