12 Module title: : Introduction to Climate Education Although many of the current discussions on climate change education revolve around curricular change within the second “reorienting” thrust, climate change will effect far more than curricular issues within educational systems. For example, climate change affects children’s access to and retention in basic education as a result of poverty, migration, disease, and other factors. It will take good governance and policy implementation to deal with these issues within educational systems. In the western world, climate change also will require school boards to consider the carbon footprint of such actions as school construction and renovation, purchasing, transportation, and breakfast and lunch programs. Like ESD, climate change education should be locally relevant and culturally appropriate. Communities around the world will be facing different expressions of climate change. Each community has its own environmental, social, economic and political contexts. As a result, climate change education will look different in each community. One size will not fit all. Teachers in every discipline can contribute to climate change education. Students arrive at school with many different skills and interests and it is the teachers’ responsibility to engage those different learning styles to teach the mandated content. The same is true of climate change education. Some students will learn through science — observing natural phenomenon, recording and analysing data, and learning theory. Others will engage through the arts, such as writing, music, painting, and photography. Yet, others will learn through taking action such as awareness campaigns, raising funds, and volunteering their time to address a societal need or a social justice issue. Accordingly, it is important that many approaches are enlisted. We will only reach a small segment of the population if we teach climate change education from a strictly natural science perspective. Life-long learning Good climate change education programs will focus on life-long learning and not be limited to primary and secondary education. Public awareness and education programs for citizens of all ages are important, as is training of the current workforce. For most of the world’s population, climate change was not included in their school curriculum. Everyone needs to be informed so they can make decisions in their personal and professional lives that will lessen climate change or adapt to it. Effective climate change education will require coordination of various efforts so that people of all ages, not just pupils in primary and secondary schools, gain the knowledge, skills, and values they need to understand and create solutions for the many issues associated with a changing climate. Watch this to see experts ideas! Climate Change Education | Thomas Isaac | TEDxSouthFayetteHS - YouTube
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