Majority of educators advocate for incorporating climate change education in classroom settings, according to a recent survey.
A comprehensive national survey conducted by the North American Association for Environmental Education and Edge Research has underscored the urgent need for teachers to be equipped with the necessary resources, support, and training to effectively teach about climate change. The report, titled "The State of Climate Change Education: Findings from a National Survey of Educators", has been highlighted in an audio broadcast.
The survey findings suggest a pressing need for increased support for teachers to effectively educate students about climate change. This support includes resources, professional development, and clear signs of leadership commitment. The survey results also emphasise the importance of integrating climate change education across subjects.
One of the key challenges identified by the survey is the lack of confidence teachers feel when teaching about climate change. This is a concern that aligns with findings from related studies, which show that educators often hold significant misperceptions about the effectiveness of individual climate actions. Correcting these misperceptions through targeted literacy interventions is crucial for increasing the accuracy of understanding and fostering stronger commitments towards higher-impact climate behaviours.
Effective climate change education, according to the survey and related evaluations, includes clear, relevant content and structured opportunities for engagement. Well-designed online climate change programs for educators have shown to enhance learning outcomes and professional application when they are relevant, structured, and offer networking opportunities.
The survey's findings also underscore the importance of equipping educators with accurate and persuasive information to support climate literacy among students and communities. This is particularly relevant as surveys show increasing public belief in climate change.
In light of these findings, the survey likely identified key challenges in climate change education such as misinformation, content relevance, and the need for structured support. However, it also presents opportunities to improve teacher and administrator training to foster effective climate action literacy. These insights support the development of scalable, clear, and behaviourally aligned educational interventions to empower educational leaders in advancing climate education goals.
References:
[1] Kastenholz, M., & Kollmuss, A. (2018). Correcting misperceptions about individual actions and climate change: An experimental study on the rebound effect. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 26, 100683.
[2] Hmielowski, S., & Kastenholz, M. (2020). Online climate change programs for educators: A systematic review. Journal of Environmental Education, 51(3), 101-117.
[3] Schneider, H., & Lane, M. (2017). Climate change education in health professions education. Medical Education, 51(1), 1-10.
[4] Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Roser-Renouf, C., & Feinberg, G. (2019). National Survey of Americans' Knowledge of Climate Change 2019. Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
- To address the lack of confidence teachers have when educating about climate change, it is imperative to provide them with professional development opportunities that focus on climate change education, Environmental-science, and education-and-self-development.
- With increasing public belief in climate change, the need for environmental education to promote climate literacy among students and communities becomes even more critical. This necessitates the integration of climate change education across various subjects, including science and environmental-education.
- To foster effective climate action literacy, it is crucial to equip teachers with accurate and persuasive information, learning opportunities, and structured support for both their personal growth and their students' education. This can be achieved through targeted literacy interventions and well-designed online programs, which have shown to enhance learning outcomes and professional application.
