The effects of a role-playing board game on perception of human–elephant conflict and coexistence

Abstract

The increased interest in serious games in environmental education has prompted the development of an education board game on human–elephant interactions in Malaysia to raise awareness and understanding of this issue. Based on an experiential game model, the game provides a realistic and engaging learning experience. The study evaluates the game's impact on motivation, behavior, and learning outcomes, considering socio-demographic and environmental factors influencing participants' decisions in tackling human-elephant conflict issues. Game components (i.e., action cards, hexagonal board pieces, and stakeholder roles) were refined through iterative feedback. Data from 282 participants aged 13 and above were analyzed using statistical, thematic, and word cloud methods. We found that the educational game enhances learning and literacy skills, with 37.8% of participants expressing increased environmental responsibility and 25.8% highlighting human-elephant conflict and coexistence as key takeaways. Most in-game experiences were rated above neutral, though 30% of feedback suggested improving clarity and 28.5% recommended gameplay changes. Role interactions shaped outcomes, with 16.7% of participants emphasizing multi-stakeholder involvement. In the word cloud analysis, frequent terms included “elephants” “humans” “roles” and “cards.” This suggests that participants predominantly discussed game mechanics (game, cards) and conservation issues (elephants, humans, roles). 46.7% advocated for collaborative coexistence efforts to address conflicts. The game positively impacted self-perception and learning, as females reported greater understanding of wildlife conservation compared to males, and non-working class participants showed higher confidence in excelling at the game than middle and upper middle-class participants. These results underscore the potential of educational games to reflect real-world conflict resolution complexities.