Application of Digital Game-Based Learning in Popular Science Education: A Case Study on Taiwan Butterfly Ecology Conservation

In recent years, the butterfly population in Taiwan has significantly declined due to human-induced environmental development. As an optimal indicator of insect ecology, butterflies exhibit strong connectivity with the environment, highlighting the escalating environmental issues in Taiwan. Education can effectively address butterfly ecological concerns from the grassroots level upwards. Gamification leverages games to enhance students’ self-learning motivation and effectiveness, offering particular assistance to environmental education’s advocated sense of connection. However, educational games with poor content quality fail to engage students. Drawing upon existing entertainment games, this study integrates diverse gameplay with butterfly knowledge and environmental science education principles to develop a digital butterfly-themed puzzle game targeting Taiwanese students aged 9–12. With a gameplay duration of approximately forty minutes, the game primarily elucidates knowledge of the four stages of butterfly development, shaping a comprehensive butterfly knowledge framework. Within the puzzle-solving gameplay framework, various game types deepen the learning process, while employing storytelling to underscore the importance of butterfly conservation to the environment, prompting cognitive and behavioral changes among children.