Behaviour Change Through Best Practice Climate Change Education

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09040:Education on school subjects and primary/secondary education-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Baars Roger 京都大学, 地球環境学堂, 講師 (80824094)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Climate Change / Education / Teacher Training

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The research project focused on formal (secondary school) Climate Change Education (CCE) in Japan, Germany and Australia. In all three countries, significant efforts have been made to develop effective CCE materials and strategies. However, the project uncovered some problematic shortcomings in current CCE approaches.
Based on a qualitative review of CCE teaching materials and curricula it was shown that CCE largely fails to connect abstract and distant problems of CC to students’ everyday life. A more place-based approach to CCE was encouraged by these findings. Moreover, the analysis of current teaching practices in CCE suggested that a social-emotional pedagogical approach might be helpful in achieving higher levels of student engagement and possible spill-over effects on environmental behaviors. Main research outputs are multiple conference presentations as well as three journal articles (currently under review).

Free Research Field

Climate Change Education

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

The overall project has analyzed teaching practices and materials in Climate Change Education across three different countries. The study helps to develop effective strategies for future teaching approaches based on everyday life specific elements of CC and transformative pedagogical tools.