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The New Research Game "Mežotājs" Encourages 8th- and 9th-grade Students to Learn about Sustainable Forestry

After two years of participation in the European Social Fund project, a new digital teaching and methodological tool “Mežotājs” has been developed; it provides students with competence education on sustainable forest management according to the “School 2030” programme. Experts from JSC “Latvia's State Forests” (LVM), the Interdisciplinary Education Innovation Centre of the University of Latvia and the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Agriculture of Latvia were involved in its creation.

In the research game “Mežotājs”, students can grow their own virtual forest and get to know the ecological, economic, and social significance of the forest, to strengthen their knowledge in real field research in sample plots created by LVM in State forests. It is intended for the successful implementation of the interdisciplinary theme “Forest Research” in the curricula of subjects such as geography, biology, mathematics, and computer science.

The content of the “Mežotājs” game includes tasks related to reforestation, forest tending, cultivation and nature protection, and provides for the active involvement of students in the decision-making process and knowledge acquisition. By authenticating through the E-klase service, teachers can track students' results and progress. Teachers can also apply their class in a single digital calendar for real field research in the forests of Latvia. The new teaching tool has already been tested in three partner schools: Riga Teika Secondary School, Jelgava Spīdola State Gymnasium and Riga Anniņmuiža Secondary School.

Līga Abizāre, Head of LVM Environmental Education: “Currently, there is a lack of digital teaching and learning materials in schools to provide competence education in sustainable forestry. This game solves this problem by encouraging students to explore the forest in an interactive way and to carry out field research. It also provides 8th- and 9th-grade students with an insight into learning and career opportunities in the forest sector.”

The teaching aid has been developed within the framework of the European Social Fund (ESF) project and is designed as a new version of LVM's previous popular game “Mežotājs”. The training tool is available on the website www.mezotajs.lv for anyone interested. Teachers have an opportunity to apply for courses on the research game “Mežotājs" until 1 February; it is scheduled to take place remotely on 11 February, and all information is available here www.lvm.lv/talakizglitiba.