Education (Source: Apokalipsa2017 via Wikimedia Commons)

A Survey of Climate Change Education

Published: Friday, April 28, 2017

The General Topic

Education on climate is becoming a major discussion topic in the United States. In order for people young and old to understand what is going on in the environment, climate, among other things, needs to be taught. Teaching children from a young age about climate can spark interest and encourage them to be a part of their surroundings as they grow older. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, takes a big part in climate change education and is one of the nation's top educators regarding the issue. By implementing these teachings about the world and shedding some light on the different issues happening within the environment, people will be more prone to take action.

High School Education

Climate is mostly taught in biology and natural science courses in high schools. When it comes to the discussion of sustainability, school curriculum could use some improvement. Many universities offer classes and presentations to high schools through their coursework, but many schools don't have climate linked with sustainability as part of their teaching standards. Among some of the universities that offer this information to high schools are Stanford and Cornell, which offer Powerpoint presentations and different activities for high school students and youth alike.

More and more students are becoming active members of society and are more in tune with the news. Climate change is a big discussion topic and students are asking to learn about it in their standard teachings. It's a major part of what's going on in society, and therefore is becoming more prominent in certain teachings. Schools continue to start and keep environmental clubs and green thumb clubs in order to honor and appreciate students who take part in learning about the environment and what's going on with it.

In a study done by the National Center for Science Education and Pennsylvania State University, many teachers stated that they included climate change information in their teachings, but were very unsure of the information they were teaching. Not only that, but they also did not dedicate as much time as they thought they should teaching it. This confusion among school teachers is one of the main causes of lack of knowledge in children, and with the right tools and more time dedicated to teaching it, teachers and students alike would be able to gain more knowledge about climate change.

Collegiate Education

Colleges were among the first of many institutions to add education on climate to their agendas. Many different majors involve having background knowledge in climate and some majors are solely based on climate. Up until now, most schools only had majors and no minors. However, with recent activities and schools in constant competition to be the best, sustainability minors are popping up in schools nationwide. The University of Toledo was the most recently approved school to start a minor in sustainability.

Climate education doesn't just have to be for science majors either. Sustainability studies are part of other majors' and minors' curriculum as well. Different subcategories allow colleges and universities to implement sustainable studies into different English, Honors, and Science requirements for other students to gain knowledge as well.

Along with curriculum, colleges and universities allow their students to continually learn about climate through student organizations, such as different environmental clubs. Many schools also have different programs that reward students with recognition or scholarships if they take part or contribute ideas to better the university in a sustainable manner. With hard work and dedication, schools are becoming greener based on the ideas and creativity of students.

Adult Education

Although most of the adult population won't go back to school to learn about climate change, there is a simpler way to approach the issue. More and more news channels are starting to take part in the discussion of climate, which in turn, teaches the general adult public about climate and the issues related to it. More education could be implemented. Many jobs have different aspects related to climate and are losing numbers because it's something they're not paying attention to. Understanding climate, how it works, what it is, and the different variations of it can help to improve a company and ultimately help them make more money in more ways than one. Some workplaces have conferences and meetings on how to make their company more sustainable which is a step in the right direction. But to many businesses it just does not seem that important to them. By mandating businesses and requiring an educational meeting on climate and different steps towards sustainability, more people will be involved and knowledgeable on the subject. Certain workplaces have implemented conferences and meetings that uphold these teachings, but a goal in the education on climate is to have everyone knowledgeable on climate.

End Discussion

Climate (Source: Fernandes Paula C via Wikimedia Commons)

Although climate has been inserted into many different curriculums, it still has a long way to go. By making it a standard core area as part of the sciences, students and teachers alike will be able to learn more about climate and the sustainability around it. Sustainability and climate issues aren't going anywhere on their own, and by teaching everyone about it, the issues and problems that arise may be able to be helped.

Citation

McCullough, Cydnie. "A Survey of Climate Change Education." The Encyclopedia of Earth. The Encyclopedia of Earth, 28 Apr. 2017. Web.

Template:A Survey of Climate Change Education

Contents

A Survey of Climate Change Education

The General Topic

High School Education

Collegiate Education

Adult Education

End Discussion

Further Reading and Sources

Citation

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