Background

Briefing

Further briefing paper on Global Education and Climate Change Education is now available.

GENE have published a further briefing paper that was planned as part of the work of the ANGEL project. The paper, with the full title "Global Education and Climate Change Education: Looking at Climate Change Education through the lens of Global Education", is authored by ANGEL Chair and Development Education Research Centre Director Doug Bourn, and RORG Network's Knut Hjelleset.

The report touches on:

  • Climate Change in Formal Education Systems
  • Climate Change Education and Global Education
  • SDGs and Climate Change
  • Global Social Justice
  • The Positive Pedagogy of Global Education
  • Approaches to Learning
  • Life Skills
  • The Student Climate Strikes

 

Introduction

Educating about climate change has become progressively important in education systems. Although climate science is complex, it is relatively easy to accommodate the science dimension of climate change education in formal education systems. However, education about climate change is not limited to this; dealing with the political and social dimensions of climate change is also recognised as a very important dimension. This is where educators are faced with many more challenging issues, such as education on dealing with complexity, critical thinking skills, and understanding of global issues and interconnectedness.

Global Education can contribute to education about climate change in regard to how to deal with climate change, by providing a framework for understanding the social aspects of climate change in all of its dimensions. Global Education may also contribute from a methodological perspective: methods that engage learners are proven to be more effective for science and environmental education.

However, when looking at education about climate change through the lens of Global Education, it is imperative to acknowledge that Climate Change Education has become an established field of pedagogy in its own right, with a historical connection to Education for Sustainable Development.

This briefing aims to address how Global Education can contribute to the discourses and practices around education for climate change. It will also look at the benefits of seeing Climate Change Education through the lens of Global Education. There will be a recognition that within Global Education, themes of social justice, importance of a pedagogy of hope, participatory learning approaches and the skills of critical thinking can enrich the traditional approaches to learning about climate change. Finally, the briefing notes the impact of the various movements by young people on the climate emergency, and what can be learnt from these activities for Global Education policies and practices

ANGEL Network,
Development Education Research Centre (DERC)
UCL Institute of Education
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