Teaching And Learning About Climate Change: Science Education

Approaching issues and challenges of teaching and learning about climate change from a science-based perspective, this book is designed to help educators and students understand the causes and implications of global warming in order to better prepare for a changing climate and to participate in democratic decision making regarding a collective future. The unique discussion of issues associated with teaching and learning about climate change helps to develop students’ conceptions of the topic by drawing from the perspectives of leading and international scholars in the field. The book is structured around three themes: theoretical, philosophical, and conceptual frameworks for climate change education and research, research on teaching and learning about global warming and climate change, and approaches to professional development and classroom practice.

Daniel P. Shepardson is Professor of Geoenvironmental and Science Education, Departments of Curriculum and Instruction and Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University. He received his degrees from Utah State University (BS, MS) and the University of Iowa (PhD). Dan teaches environmental science and environmental and science education courses at Purdue. His research program investigates students’ conceptions of earth and environmental phenomena, including the greenhouse effect, climate change and the Earth’s climate system. This work has informed the design of instructional materials and teacher professional development programs.

Anita Roychoudhury received her Ph.D. in Science Education/Physics Education from Indiana University. Currently, she is Professor of Curriculum and Instruction (Science Education/Physics Education) at Purdue University. In the past she has taught physics at high school and undergraduate level and conducted research on physics teaching and learning in K-12 as well as in undergraduate courses. Her current research focuses on climate change education.

Andrew S. Hirsch is Professor of Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Purdue University. Andy obtained his doctorate in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and joined the faculty at Purdue University in 1981. The majority of his career has been devoted to experimental nuclear physics with a more recent focus on physics education issues.