Study in Australia: Deakin University study brings climate activism into the classroom

Deakin University is trying to incorporate climate change education into to the science classrooms.

Research led by Deakin University is trying to find how climate change education can be taught in the classrooms while teaching traditional subjects including Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and earth and space science.

Australia is also a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and this step will follow a shift in focus by the OECD to prioritise socio-ecological competencies in school.

Associate Professor Peta White of Deakin's Centre for Research for Educational Impact in the School of Education said that despite the fact that the national curriculum changed in 2022, where more emphasis was on climate change, it was still hardly mentioned in the science curriculum and it is not being taught in schools.

Associate Professor White said it will prepare the Australian students better for handling the challenges of the future. The Professor said, "This is not about replacing physics with teaching students how to be a climate protestor – it is about creating a deeper learning within the current education model that equips students to be more empowered and effective climate actors. Students may learn aspects of climate change in subjects such as geography, technology, history, science, English and art, depending on their teachers' professional preferences. But learning about climate change is one thing; knowing what to do about it is another."

"We know it is critical to develop the hands-on skills that support young people to learn how to practice environmental sustainability and how to change social systems to be more ecologically savvy. This is important because the challenges that might be the most essential for them to resolve in 10-20 years' time might not be known today," added Associate Professor White.

Schools should be pro-active about including the topic

Associate Professor White also said, "Students could give presentations and create newsletter articles and posters on their community's role in clean energy transitions, while in the process fostering traditional learning outcomes parents value from their education such as teamwork, creative and critical thinking, reading, writing and other key science concepts."

"Students could also work together to design and build a new biodiverse garden, for example, applying practices from science, mathematics, English, technology and the arts. This has the potential to make science wonderfully transdisciplinary while supporting students to solve important and pressing socio-ecological challenges," added the Professor.

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