Abstract
Climate change education in the Philippines often emphasizes global phenomena while lacking a connection to local environmental realities. This study presents Gen Z-IGNOS, a localized board game enhancing climate change education among Grade 9 students in Philippine secondary schools. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, Game Network Analysis framework, and place-based education, the research employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design with 45 Grade 9 students (ages 14-15) and 4 science teachers in Quezon City, Philippines. The intervention addressed DepEd competencies S9ES-IIIe-30 and S9ES-IIIf-31 through localized climate scenarios with mathematical problem-solving activities. Data collection utilized pre- and post-assessment questionnaires, student engagement surveys, teacher interviews, and classroom observations over a four-month implementation period. Paired-samples t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements in understanding of climate change concepts, from M = 65.4 (SD = 12.3) to M = 78.9 (SD = 10.7), t(127) = 8.94, p < .001, with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.18). Students demonstrated particularly strong gains in Philippine-specific climate knowledge, mathematical problem-solving skills, and environmental consciousness. Student engagement averaged 4.2 on a 5-point scale, with 87% reporting enhanced learning compared to traditional methods. Findings indicate that Gen Z-IGNOS provides an effective, culturally relevant approach, transforming abstract global concepts into personally meaningful learning experiences for Filipino students.
