“Education at its best”
Holger Obbarius is Head of the Education Department at the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation. He considers the learning module Suspicious: A Landscape of Crime to be an excellent example of how to teach young people about history.
Mr. Obbarius, what do you see as the greatest strengths of the “Suspicious” module?
One of its greatest strengths is its ability to deliver information that is reliable, well-researched, and academically validated in a way that fits in with the content consumption habits of teenagers and young adults. The historical subject – the former Ohrdruf concentration camp sub-camp, which is embedded in a whole landscape of crime – is presented in an unusual way.
“Suspicious” departs from the traditional text-heavy, linear approach to story-telling typically used by publications, exhibitions, and the like in the past. After watching the introductory video, students can move freely through the 360° landscape and access information autonomously. They can make their own choices and decide for themselves where to start and what to leave out, for example. As they learn more, they can delve more deeply into the subject matter.
»This approach takes students seriously and places them at the heart of the learning experience. In my opinion, this experience of active learning and self-determination is education at its best.«
How have you been using the learning module so far, and what insights have you gained?
Just recently, we invited a group of schoolchildren and a group of students to our memorial to try out the “Suspicious” module. Both groups used it intensively for three hours. Afterwards, we asked them for their thoughts on this learning approach. Did they enjoy exploring the digital spaces and searching for clues about the past? Did the module grab their attention? Did it hold their interest?
And what feedback did you receive?
The feedback was extremely positive. All the students told us they would’ve liked to spend more time using the module. A lot of them said they wanted to continue to search for clues at home on their own computer. From my perspective, it was obvious that the young people were completely absorbed and barely looked up from their tablets.
We also tried to find out what they had actually learned. Whether users can explain things freely in their own words is a good indicator of that. And in this case, they could. That shows that the content is engaging, but not too demanding. The teaching method doesn’t overshadow or distort the content – for me, these are key criteria for success.
Ideal for use in schools
Do you see any differences between use in schools and use in other educational contexts?
The conditions are very different. In contrast to the situation of students in a university setting or people who visit memorials in their free time, learning about history in a classroom setting tends to be compulsory. I think there is an inherent contradiction here. Suspicious is supposed to be voluntary, but at the same time, there’s a certain element of coercion involved.
This contradiction is mitigated by the fact that there are a range of options to choose from. Here’s an example: When I’m searching for clues, I can decide for myself whether or not to look at a historical photo of burnt corpses. I think this is important in the context of the Beutelsbach Consensus. “Suspicious” is particularly suitable for use in schools because it offers this freedom of choice.
Relatives of victims of Nazi persecution often express discomfort about the use of the word “game” in the context of Holocaust remembrance. What would you say to them in response?
Some words cause confusion instead of bringing clarity. Personally, I prefer to avoid the word. But the learning module does incorporate elements that are familiar to us from digital games as a means of holding users’ attention and increasing motivation. The way users navigate through virtual spaces and the use of feedback systems that appeal to the brain’s reward system are two examples. The important thing is that the information content is conveyed with integrity, reverence, and respect.
»If a play-based approach encourages people to engage with historical content on a deeper level I think it makes a lot of sense.«
Do you see any obstacles or barriers that might impact the game’s reception?
No, not really. Thanks to the intuitive controls and the way the content is presented, the approach appeals to a very broad audience. People with learning difficulties or poor concentration may find the game challenging because of its complexity. These users would find it helpful to have access to an easy-read version with a reduced amount of content. The game should also be made accessible to people with visual or hearing impairments with the aim of improving accessibility and inclusion in our educational work. And a multi-lingual version would make it possible to reach an even larger, preferably global audience.
Encouraging young people to engage with Nazi history
What other new features would you like to see in future?
»In my view, the approach to learning that has been implemented in “Suspicious” is a prime example of effective educational practice. So I’d like us to be able to use the same approach for other sub-camps – the same digital focus, and the same attitude to media, methodology, and content.«
The Ohrdruf sub-camp was an all-male camp. It would be perfectly possible to develop similar resources about concentration camps where women had to carry out forced labor, for example. Expanding the focus to camps in other parts of Germany is another idea. When digital learning resources draw attention to the remains of former sub-camps in a specific local areas, it encourages historical learning at local level. That’s one way of making history more relatable.
What other potential do you see in the digital learning module?
When young people see Vicky, the protagonist, exploring the grounds of the former Ohrdruf sub-camp and the surrounding area, it may encourage them to do the same thing. Ideally, “Suspicious” encourages people to get involved, ask questions about the past, and find out about the history of Nazi injustice in their own neighborhood. I think this approach has the potential to inspire young people to engage with the past and the present.
