Values Compass - The Game. Discuss dilemmas of digitisation

Players assume the roles of those directly involved in an issue. Don't have a game? You can also get started with online dilemma cards.

Values Compass - The Game is based on the Moral Design Game, developed by the Lectoraat Moral Design Strategy of Fontys University of Applied Sciences. A copy is available for all educational and research institutions in the Netherlands.

Digitisation issues are now mainly viewed from the perspective of either cost or functionality. Public values such as autonomy, humanity and justice are often considered important, but it’s difficult to weigh these up. Balancing different values, functionality and/or costs is a challenge.

With this public values game, you step into the shoes of one of those involved – such as a student, a director, a buyer or a privacy lawyer – and discuss a case with other players.

This could be a case you find in the menu to the right. Of course, it can also be a case you submit yourself. The game encourages all players to think about the influence of public values in the decision-making process. It gives an insight into the arguments for and against.

Topics in the example dilemmas are:

• Dilemma: global dominance
  
  Is it wise to keep buying good working software, even if it makes you increasingly dependent on one supplier?
• Dilemma: internship market place
  
  How do you balance values that go hand in hand when choosing a commercial platform that can support public education?
• Dilemma: ChatGPT
  
  With emerging disruptive technology, how do you weigh and balance values such as fairness, proportionality and integrity?
• Dilemma: ad platform
  
  A study without students is not valuable, but how should you deal with values involved in targeted profiling and data collection via an advertising platform?
• Dilemma: be seen
  
  Anti-spying software (proctoring) seems to be becoming a regular IT tool. How do you weigh efficiency, equity and responsibility of the educational institution in this regard?
• Dilemma: Learning Management System (LMS)
  
  There are many advantages to an open source system. For instance, there are no licence fees, no need to tender every four years and customisation is possible. But how do you weigh these advantages against the disadvantages? And which values apply?
• Dilemma: TikTok
  
  As a teacher, can you connect to students' experiences on TikTok while weighing up and balancing values such as autonomy, safety and privacy?
• Dilemma: Smartwatches
  
  How do you balance values such as humanity, health and privacy in a classroom in the context of (special) education? Can you use a smartwatch and data from students?
• Dilemma: Student Information System (SIS)
  
  The SIS contains things like enrolments, grades and study progress. What values play a role in the trade-off between storage with a US big tech company or a more expensive European alternative?

About the Values Compass Board Game

You can play the board game with a minimum of 4 players and a maximum of 8 players. Ideally, you play with 8 people and the playing time is around 60 minutes. There are 3 rounds in total, although you can choose to play 1, 2 or 3 rounds.

If you prefer, you can use a moderator to accompany the game. Before you start, the moderator can also provide an introduction or update on public values. Please contact publiekewaarden@surf.nl if you would like to have a moderator.

SURF members will receive one copy of the board game free of charge. If you do not have a game, you can get started with the example dilemmas and game cards on this page, or think up your own dilemmas.