Journal Menu
► Journal MenuJournal Browser
► Journal BrowserSpecial Issue "Smart Technology and Gamification for Exploring the Sustainability of Social-Ecological Systems"
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2022.
Special Issue Editors
2. Griffith Centre for Coastal Management (Adjunct), Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
Interests: systems thinking and system dynamics; coastal science; process-based modelling of socioecological systems; decision support systems; apps in research
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Interests: systems thinking and system dynamics; climate change risk assessment; water, energy and climate nexus; decision support systems; integrated participatory modelling; modelling of socioeconomic/ecological systems
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Interests: waste management; systems thinking; system dynamics; serious gaming; product stewardship; decision-support system; data science
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
There is a growing realisation that research on social–ecological systems should integrate key drivers, processes and responses that interact within, and have feedback on, the system that is being investigated. Often, this integrative approach requires combining knowledge and data from a variety of sources, including the participation and collaboration of researchers from diverse domains, decision makers and other stakeholders. This holistic approach is particularly relevant for ‘wicked problems’ because it reflects the challenges in disentangling the suite of human- and natural-related drivers that are acting and interacting on the system.
Smartphones and touchscreen tablets (virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality) have collectively emerged as an effective mechanism for participatory engagement and for bridging the gap between science and policy (uptake). Whilst much of the development of this smart and experiential technology has only occurred over the last decade, its already widespread use means that there is strong familiarity and acceptance amongst the community.
In parallel to this, gaming technology software such as Unity3D is becoming increasingly powerful in their capacity to create realistic and dynamic 3-dimensional ‘landscapes’. These landscapes provide an avenue for immersing the ‘user’ into a system where they can interact directly within the environment and see the consequences of their decisions manifest in front of them. These gaming software readily allow multiplayer modes so that the dynamics of the system are responding to the decisions of multiple users. Furthermore, coders have access to the algorithms controlling the system, entailing that elements of system dynamics, agent-based modelling and statistical relationships (for example) can be integrated into the game environment. In essence, gaming software provides a way of modellers and nonmodellers to engage in a visually rich numerical playground that can be used for exploring and managing social-ecological systems.
The purpose here is to provide an opportunity for researchers to share their research in this new frontier of using smart technology and gamification for exploring the sustainability of social–ecological systems.
The SI editors invite the submission of papers that provide research insights into the use of smart technology and/or gaming-style software for understanding and managing social–ecological systems.
Dr. Russell Richards
Prof. Dr. Oz Sahin
Dr. Hengky Salim
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- social–ecological systems
- gamification
- co-design
- experiential
- end-user engagement