“Why would anyone do that?” Using game-based learning to show the gap between ethics and practice

Presented at Education Festival 2026, University of Groningen, the poster below explores how UnExpected Values helps students move beyond abstract case discussions to experience the real-world pressures shaping decisions.

Through gameplay, students encounter constraints such as limited resources, shifting incentives, and competing stakeholder interests. This makes visible why ethically suboptimal choices often emerge in practice. By turning reflection into lived experience, the game deepens students’ understanding of how systems, incentives, and power dynamics shape ethical decision-making.