The building of knowledge, language, and decision-making about climate change science: a cross-national program for secondary students (original) (raw)

Cross-National Intervention on and Study of Climate Change Attitudes and Behaviors

PsycEXTRA Dataset, 2000

The United Nations' declaration on climate change education in December 2014 has sparked a renewal of policies and programs initiated during the 'Decade of Education for Sustainable Development' (DESD, 2005(DESD, -2014, aimed at promoting awareness, understanding, and civic action for environmental sustainability within learning communities all around the world. We present findings from a dialogic, multimodal, and literacies-based educational project designed to provide secondary students (N = 141) from four countries with the resources to read about and discuss evidence regarding climate change from seminal studies with peers and a core group of scientists (N = 7). Post-program interviews revealed a significant increase in language use related to evidence-based reasoning. Students also demonstrated an increased propensity to recycle. These findings support the hypothesis that providing opportunities for students to read and discuss seminal scientific sources incites positive changes in beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to climate change and climate science, and understandings of the nature of scientific evidence and argumentation.

Dialogic action in climate change discussions: An international study of high school students in China, New Zealand, Norway and the United States

Dialogic Pedagogy: An International Online Journal, 2015

Global efforts to prepare young developing minds for solving current and future challenges of climate change have advocated interdisciplinary, issues-based instructional approaches in order to transform traditional models of science education as delivering conceptual facts (UNESCO, 2014). This study is an exploration of the online interactions in an international social network of high school students residing in Norway, China, New Zealand and the United States (N=141). Students participated in classroom-based and asynchronous online discussions about adapted versions of seminal scientific studies with facilitative support from seven scientists across various fields. Grounded in a language-in-use frame for investigating facilitation and demonstrations of problem-based and evidence-based reasoning (Kelly & Chen, 1999), we traced the varied questions, assertions, and evidentiary sources within student-led online discussions. We found that questions from scientific experts in the form ...

Supporting and Understanding Students' Epistemological Discourse About Climate Change

Journal of Geoscience Education, 2014

The climate change community has begun to look carefully at how the public understands, or fails to understand, climate change and the scientific claims made based on data. This study focuses on how teachers provide scaffolding that supports students' understanding of, not only how climate systems work or the causes and effects of climate change, but also how we know what we know. Stanford's Global Climate Change: Professional Development for K-12 Teachers project provided teacher professional development on the science of global climate change, curricular materials, and pedagogical strategies. We conducted an in-depth study of the classrooms of the participating teachers. Our results show statistically significant gains from pre-to postassessment in students' content knowledge and a shift in their opinions about climate change. These gains are positively related to the percentage of students who are engaged and interacting, and negatively related to the percentage of students who are disengaged. Through classroom observations and video recordings, we identify how teachers and students talk about how we know about climate change, and we discuss how that talk can be enhanced.

Challenges and Possibilities in Climate Change Education

Online Submission, 2010

Educating and communicating about climate change is challenging. Researchers reported that climate change concepts are often misunderstood. Some people do not believe that climate change will have impacts on their own life. Other challenges may include people's difficulty in perceiving small or gradual environmental changes, the fact that overconsumption brings people power and recognition, people's weak connection to nature, and people's tendency to make emotional decisions and quickly solve environmental problems. Drawn from research, some climate change communication and education strategies are presented. Well designed environmental messages could convince people that they can still reduce the scale of the phenomenon and could link mitigation actions to people's positive desires or aspirations, while providing local examples of climate change impacts and illustrated information. In mitigation education, some strategies (future education, reflective, experiential, socio-constructivist approaches and the community of change), jointly used, could correct the learners' misconceptions and lead them to action. In adaptation education, scientists and citizens could get together to choose a specific problem that may worsen with climate change, analyze it, and propose and implement adaptations. In the meantime, pedagogical strategies inspired by cognitive science could strengthen the citizens' skills: posing and solving problems, decision-making, scenario building and sustainable planning.

A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDELINE HANDBOOK FOR CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION

Preface As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident, the role of education in fostering climate action is paramount. According to UNESCO, "Education is crucial to promote climate action. It helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them wit..., 2024

Preface As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident, the role of education in fostering climate action is paramount. According to UNESCO, "Education is crucial to promote climate action. It helps people understand and address the impacts of the climate crisis, empowering them with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to act as agents of change." Educators have the unique responsibility of instilling in young minds the awareness and capabilities to respond proactively to global environmental challenges, making a teacher’s role indispensable in building a resilient and informed society. In this regard, the ClimaTePD project stands as an essential initiative designed to empower in-service secondary teachers. By focusing on developing their digital literacy and climate change teaching skills, this project equips educators to pass on the knowledge and values needed to inspire students toward environmental responsibility. As teachers gain the tools to incorporate climate change concepts into their curricula, they also enable students to critically engage with the reality of this global threat and take meaningful action in their communities. This handbook embodies a dual journey: it intertwines the longstanding cultural heritage symbolized by the hanbok with the modern imperative of environmental stewardship. Each chapter serves as a bridge between tradition and innovation, blending timeless values with forward-thinking educational practices to enhance climate literacy. It is designed to serve as both a resource and a guiding framework, supporting teachers as they lead students through the complex landscape of climate change with creativity and critical thinking. Drawing on comprehensive research and insightful contributions, this handbook explores the multifaceted nature of climate change education. The ClimaTePD programme has laid a strong foundation, and this handbook builds upon it by offering practical approaches and interdisciplinary competencies aimed at sustainable development. Chapters provide step-by-step guidance on implementing climate education in classrooms, complemented by innovative learning experience designs. Teachers are equipped not only with the knowledge to educate but also with the skills to foster a sense of community and shared responsibility among students, amplifying collective responses to climate challenges. As technology continues to shape the educational landscape, this handbook dedicates special focus to digital solutions that can make climate change education more accessible and engaging. Chapter 1: Climate Change Education and the ClimaTePD Programme sets the stage by discussing the significance of climate change education within the framework of the ClimaTePD initiative. In Chapter 2: Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development – Competences and Interdisciplinarity, the focus shifts to the essential competencies and interdisciplinary approaches needed to foster sustainable development through education. Chapter 3: Practical Steps to Implement Climate Change Education in Class and Learning Experience Design: Inquiry-Based Learning, Gamification, and Digital Tools provides practical guidance for educators to create engaging learning experiences. Following this, Chapter 4: Teachers’ Community Building Skills: Bringing Together Stakeholders for Climate Change Education highlights the importance of collaboration among educators, students, and the community to enhance the impact of climate education. Chapter 5: Building an E-learning Platform for Teachers explores how digital platforms can support teachers in delivering climate change education effectively. In Chapter 6: Implementing Design Thinking Process for Climate Change Education, we delve into innovative strategies that empower educators to think creatively about their teaching practices. The handbook continues with chapters that delve deeper into essential aspects of climate literacy and activism. Chapter 7: Global Climate Change Disaster Literacy provides insights on preparing students to understand and respond to climate-related risks, fostering resilience in the face of natural disasters. Chapter 8: Climate Activism in the Context of Climate Change and Its Reflections on Education explores the role of activism, offering educators strategies to empower students as advocates for environmental stewardship. Finally, Chapter 9: Examples of Climate Change-Based Activities in the Context of Dimensions of Science and Technology Literacy presents hands-on activities that bring scientific and technological principles to life, allowing students to engage with climate change through experiments, simulations, and digital tools. The pages that follow invite you to delve into the intersection of tradition and progress, where cultural symbols like the hanbok coexist with a forward-looking approach to environmental consciousness. Through innovative approaches such as Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), Gamification, and Digital Teaching Methods, this handbook illuminates the path to fostering a new generation of climate-conscious citizens. Together, let us embark on this journey toward a more sustainable and harmonious future, where education serves as the cornerstone of meaningful, lasting climate action.

Climate Literacy and Innovations in Climate Change Education

Climate Change Management, 2018

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

19. Tackling the Climate Crisis: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Climate Change Education and Communication

2020

TALKS: 19.1 Bättig-Frey P., Jäger M.U.: Using impact orientation for effective climate communication 19.2 Breitenmoser P., Keller-Schneider M.: Why prospective elementary school teachers (don’t) intend to teach Climate Change? 19.3 Chatterjee S., Suess S., Sobecka K., Allen J., Brönnimann S.: Visualizing climate science: the poster between science and politics 19.4 Colberg C.: Climate Scenarios for Switzerland CH2018 as a starting point for knowledge-based learning experiences in teacher training 19.5 Cologna V., Kreissel A.L., Siegrist M.: Techno-optimism as a moral hazard and its implications for climate-friendly behaviour 19.6 Fritz L., Brenner-Fliesser M., Schneeberger A., Seebauer S.: Youth and Behavioural Spillover: Fundamentals, Competencies and Learning Programme for Lowering the Personal Carbon Footprint 19.7 Gubler M., Brügger A., Probst M., Eyer M.: About the effectiveness of localized climate change education: Insights from an intervention study 19.8 Mahl D., Hase V., Sc...