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    How does learning about the future of the ocean impact children's emotional wellbeing? Insights from ocean literacy educators in Aotearoa New Zealand
    (John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society, 2023-09-04) Murray L; Breheny M; Cumming R; Erueti B; Mooney M; Nash KL; Severinsen C; Shanly J; Roy H
    1. Four decades of research on the health effects of ‘connection to nature’ identifiesmany wellbeing advantages for young people. Yet this literature has developedlargely without reference to biophysical evidence about mass biodiversity loss,the degradation of marine environments and climate change. 2. As these interlocking planetary crises progress, children will be more likely to witnessthe marine environments they learn about degrade or disappear as they grow up. 3. Improving ocean literacy is important to protect marine environments into thefuture. However little is known about how learning about ocean degradation af-fects young people's emotional wellbeing. 4. We undertook qualitative research to investigate how ocean literacy educators inAotearoa New Zealand view the content they deliver in relation to the emotionalwellbeing of young people. 5. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 key informants from non-government organisations (NGOs), Ministry of Education funded programmes,university-community partnerships, youth-led initiatives and local and nationalmuseums and aquariums. Transcripts were analysed using the six steps of Braunand Clarke's (2022) reflexive thematic analysis. 6. Ocean literacy education was described as positively affecting young people'semotional wellbeing through interactive experiences in coastal environments.These provided opportunities for experiencing wonder, curiosity and a sharedsense of connection and belonging. 7. Educators reported witnessing distress and overwhelm in young people whensome information was delivered. This resulted in educators ‘not focusing on thenegative’ and moving straight to solutions young people could take part in. 8. Our findings provide opportunities for re-imagining ocean literacy education asa space for promoting mental wellbeing, especially when young people have theopportunity to be part of collective experiences that promote joy and wonder. 9. Intergenerational solutions where young people can be supported to take actionwith adults who work in solidarity with them are also recommended. 10. Further research into how educators can be resourced to acknowledge and fa-cilitate support around young people's negative emotional responses (such asgrief, overwhelm and anxiety) is required.
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    River guardian Yu : an exploration of an environmental game concept design : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Design at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Deng, Baoyu
    Environmental digital games with interactive narrative methods can be a useful tool for conveying environmental messages to increase people’s awareness. This is especially true for young audiences who readily accept new media in their daily life. This project was prompted by concern about the impact of water pollution on rare and endangered aquatic animals along the Yangtze River and internationally, and the role of humans in perpetuating the problem. I explore how folklore stories can be applied in a modern environmental game concept to transmit environmental messages so as to promote the traditional values of harmony between human and nature to audiences. This research project adapts the Chinese folklore stories of Great Yu and the Classic of Mountains and Seas and integrates them through interactive storytelling in an environmental game concept about water pollution damage to underwater creatures. Within the paradigm of concept design, the project creates a modern environmental game case that explores these folklore stories together with the possibility of using environmental games for educational purposes. My game concept aims to promote and enhance young people's environmental education and raise their concerns about these important issues.