Global Warning: a board game that changes student thinking on how to combat climate change

Purpose This purpose of this study is to examine the educational impact of Global Warning, a climate change–themed board game that blends cooperative and competitive elements to foster transformative learning, critical reflection and systems thinking. Design/methodology/approach A pre/post-treatment design was used to compare a treatment group – who played Global Warning during four weekly sessions – to a control group with no gameplay. Participants completed a climate action survey before and after the intervention, and qualitative reflections were gathered from the treatment group’s post-game reviews. Findings Results indicated that gameplay shifted students’ perceptions of climate change as an existential threat, broadened their understanding of actionable solutions and clarified challenges in implementing these measures. Student reviews highlighted the game’s capacity to promote collaboration, critical thinking and engagement with real-world issues. Originality/value By integrating realistic scenarios with both cooperative and competitive dynamics, Global Warning shows promise as a novel pedagogical tool for inclusivity and sustainability-focused learning in post-secondary contexts.