What is the best way to educate people about climate change?
„Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world,“ said South African leader Nelson Mandela. That was in 1990, before climate change caught the attention of most people. Can Mandela's prescriptions be applied to climate change? If so, what is the best way to do it?
education expert Radhika Iyengar and Kathy Hsu Written by a team climate change education, a book that explores ways to engage the general public, from elementary school students to graduate students and beyond.this is his seventh Columbia University Earth Institute Introductory Series Focuses on practical sustainability issues.
I jointly interviewed Iyengar and Hsu via email about the challenges facing educators and what they believe are best practices for educating people of all ages about climate change. .
Is teaching about climate change different from teaching other subjects?Because climate change is multifaceted and interdisciplinary, a systems approach is the best approach. This is not an entirely new way of teaching or learning, but it does require us to think about how subjects such as history, policy, biology, geochemistry and economics can be linked together. For example, how cities are built to understand their level of resilience to climate disasters, how governing bodies at different levels can develop effective policies, and how to protect the environment. We need to understand how we can ensure that all people's voices are heard.
Should education be confined to the classroom, or are there other routes?
We extend the meaning of education to informal settings and communities. This includes the work of non-profit organizations, some of which have become global models. We believe that learning is the result of a person's various experiences. It doesn't just happen in the classroom, and it doesn't end when you leave the school environment. It's lifelong. Create learning opportunities regardless of the environment. Our hope is to empower educators, through flexibility, creativity, and strategy, to instill a sense of lifelong learning in learners everywhere.
Are there limits to what education can do? For example, how effectively can we counter the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation about climate change and seemingly steadfast political stances?
Formal education is a very time-consuming process. There are standards to adhere to, curriculum frameworks to respect, comprehensive lesson plans to develop, and textbooks to create. Teachers need professional development time. There are challenges when it comes to equitable access to education. All of this requires new budget lines, dedicated professionals, and the will to make a difference. Further complications arise when political parties begin to influence what learners see. It can be very frustrating when there are vocal opinions that ignore scientific knowledge and facts.
But we believe there is a lot of progress being made in many countries, and a lot of promising local efforts here in the United States. Young people taking to the streets to speak out understand the urgency of climate education more than adults. They are asking questions, and those questions need to be addressed systematically across all subjects in and out of school. Young learners are getting more information from a variety of media than ever before. They are becoming more conscious and critical of the answers they receive, and frankly are losing patience. The education world is under pressure, and students themselves are being held more accountable.
Knowledge about climate change continues to evolve. Are there any challenges with this?
The speed of knowledge and research is fast, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. We see this as an opportunity to have more meaningful conversations. New knowledge allows you to stay updated with real-time information and integrate it into different learning environments. We hope that our primer will inspire all educators to use the resources we have provided as a starting point for starting important discussions. As knowledge evolves, educators can use this book as a foundation to further their teaching and learning efforts.
Should climate education focus only on science?
We offer a systems thinking perspective because we believe climate education should not be limited to science. Basic scientific knowledge is important, but climate change affects not only the environment but also humans. We need to talk about migration, displacement, climate disasters and man-made disasters. This is a global challenge with local elements, so it must go beyond the science classroom.