"The Lone Wolf" board game increases knowledge of large carnivores and explores youth opinions

The science-based game communicates the significance of wildlife and biodiversity to everyone, especially younger generations. It is also part of a study aimed at evaluating the game's effectiveness in nature education and surveying students' opinions on large carnivores through questionnaires before and after the game. At the same time, valuable information is gathered on the use of board games as educational tools. No similar research on children's and youth's attitudes has been conducted in Finland.

The "Lone Wolf" board game, developed by researchers at the University of Oulu, was played for the first time with children and young people at Ylikiiminki School last spring. This fall, the researchers have sent invitations to a total of 276 schools in 21 locations across Finland to participate. The game, along with instructions, is loaned to schools interested in participating in the research and is returned to the researchers after the game period.

“Gamification has been found to work well in teaching, and this game follows the wolf year as the seasons change. We have invested in visuals and functionality of the game, and you get to, and you get to howl like a wolf. Playing is sometimes loud, which schoolchildren seem to particularly like," doctoral researcher Dominika Bujnakova says.

The game's main character is a young wolf traveling through the Finnish landscape, facing various challenges to survival. The wolf (Canis lupus) was chosen as the main character because it plays a crucial role in biodiversity and the healthy functioning of ecosystems. However, as a large carnivore, wolves are viewed differently around the world.

The game is designed based on researched information to depict the complex relationship between humans and wolves and the conflicts that wolves' presence can cause.

Researchers have sent invitations to schools in Oulu, Turku, Kokkola, Jyväskylä, Kotka, Hämeenlinna, Salo, Tampere, Kuhmo, Lieksa, Lappeenranta, Kuusamo, Mikkeli, Iisalmi, Rovaniemi, Liminka, Ii, Vaasa, Lahti, and Helsinki.

The "Lone Wolf" board game was developed by PhD researchers Dominika Bujnakova and Ekaterina Karabanina from the University of Oulu, and it was illustrated by artist Anna Pankratova, known for her children's book illustrations.

Further information The Sci-Com Board Game

Facebook The Lone Wolf board game and Instagram thelonewolf_boardgame