Ecocykle’s card game effective in climate education, study finds

An academic study has found that the ‘Play, Learn and Act Now’ (PLAN) climate game is an effective tool for improving retention of climate change concepts among Nigerian students.

The validation came from a doctoral dissertation defended by Tine Agernor at the Benue State University, Makurdi.

According to the research, students exposed to the PLAN game performed better and showed higher interest in climate change studies compared to those taught with traditional methods.

The study, which involved 188 students aged 13-15 in Benue state, found that the game was particularly engaging for female students, highlighting its potential to boost female participation in climate action.

PLAN, a climate card game, co-developed by Aliyu Sadiq and Lauritta Boniface, executive directors of Ecocykle, has so far reached more than 5,000 people across 11 countries.

The tool uses interactive learning to promote climate literacy, the circular economy, and sustainable living.

Speaking on the research, Agernor said the findings showed the game could “enhance learning amongst teenagers on climate change concepts”.

Boniface described the milestone as proof of the game’s effectiveness.

She added that the validation would help strengthen Ecocykle’s push for climate literacy among young people.

“When we developed PLAN, our goal was to simplify climate change learning and inspire inclusive action among young people,” Boniface said.