A Cooperative Board Game Intervention to Foster High School Students’ Conceptual Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change

Abstract

In response to the urgent demands of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action, particularly target 13.3, there is a need for improved education and capacity building to combat climate change. Although several studies indicate that students engage positively with climate change, a significant gap persists in climate change education. High school students, as the next generation facing climate challenges, often lack understanding of fundamental concepts. For example, many misunderstand how the greenhouse effect occurs and impacts climate change. Common misconceptions include beliefs that greenhouse gases cause sunlight to reflect back and forth within the atmosphere, that the greenhouse effect increases global temperature by destroying the ozone layer and allowing more sunlight to enter the Earth, or that it is caused by dust particles covering the atmosphere. This paradox—where concern exists without understanding—highlights the need to enhance students’ knowledge of climate change. This preliminary study aims to bridge this gap by developing a cooperative board game to engage high school students with climate change issues while improving their understanding of the greenhouse effect. Eight students participated in a one-group pre-posttest using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Preliminary results revealed that many students held misconceptions before playing the game. However, after engaging with the game, students showed improved understanding of the greenhouse effect and its impact on climate change. These findings suggest that the board game holds promise as an educational tool to engage young learners and improve understanding of climate change.