Population and migration: Dealing with emigration

Planet Planners on Roblox is an engaging way for students to learn about some of the world's most pressing challenges – from preparing for natural disasters to managing large cities.

A decision-making exercise game with geographical thinking at its core, it also builds key skills such as teamwork, time management, resilience, problem-solving and decision-making.

It is accessed via Roblox – an immersive platform for 3D experiences. To learn more about Roblox and how it can be used in education, visit Get started with Roblox Education.

For more detailed information about the game, visit How to teach using Planet Planners on Roblox.

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In this scenario, players take on the role of decision-makers in a region facing high levels of emigration.

They must analyse population data, make policy decisions and allocate limited resources to improve quality of life and economic opportunity in order to retain citizens.

They’ll need to weigh short-term incentives against long-term solutions and consider the social, environmental, and economic impacts of their choices.

Approximate location: Madagascar

Download/print the teacher notes for this scenario (PDF).

Teacher notes prepared in partnership with the Geographical Association.

Learning objectives

• To identify the causes of emigration from low-income countries (LICs).
• To examine the social, economic and environmental impacts of emigration on LICs.
• To make decisions about how to manage emigration in LICs.

Key decisions

• When resources are scarce should countries encourage people to emigrate?
• What type of skills should we invest in to persuade young people to stay?
• Which industries should be prioritised: manufacturing or tourism?
• Should we automate factories or employ more people to work in them?
• Should we invest in small eco-lodges or large resort hotels?
• What incentives should we offer to persuade healthcare professionals to stay?

Key geographical terminology

Migration: The movement of people from one area to another. A migrant is someone who moves from one place to another.

Emigration: The movement of people out of a country.

Incentive: Something that aims to encourage someone to act in a particular way.

Tax: A sum of money paid to the government for the good of the country.

Think, work and apply like a geographer

Encourage students to explore the links between gameplay and real-world job roles, such as:

• migration policy advisor
• education planner
• diaspora engagement officer
• civil engineer
• civil servants
• demographers
• census data analysts

Questions to explore

• Is emigration good or bad for a country?
• Why would a country encourage people to emigrate?
• How can a country try to reduce rates of emigration?
• Why do people choose to emigrate?
• Is it easy to move from one country to another? What barriers or difficulties might individuals and families face?
• What are remittance payments and how do they affect the countries people move to and the countries they come from?

Emotional and ethical considerations

Fear and uncertainty: The thought of moving to an unfamiliar place can bring about feelings of fear and uncertainty. Consider whether players may have direct experience of these feelings.

Ethical decision-making: Are short-term incentives enough or do we need systemic change to address the reasons why people leave? What makes a community resilient and worth staying in? Would tax breaks or raising the minimum wage put strain on public services?

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