In the USA, the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund (TFNEF) looked at how each US state science standards for public schools addressed climate change. These standards identify the basic information and skills students are expected to master in their courses of study. They guide the content of…
Today’s post is by Dr Karen Kerr, a previous science teacher and now lecturer in education at Queen’s University Belfast. Karen teaches future science teachers and is involved in research in outdoor learning and environmental education, with a specific focus on researching with children and young people. Karen is also a member of the Education for Sustainable Development Forum…
This is a round up of recent and relevant evidence and reports, policy agenda developments, large scale delivery sector initiatives, resources and news items from the UK and abroad. It supports the Strategic Research Network for People and Nature to develop better coherence and collaboration in research and to improve links between research, policy and…
We noted a new book recently. Carbon Choices: “an easy to read summary of complex issues.” The publishers say: “Coming from Scotland, host of the global 2021 climate conference, Carbon Choices tells the most remarkable story on planet Earth. How one group of sociable animals came to emit 40 billion tonnes (40,000,000,000) of an invisible…
NAEE was pleased to receive an honourable mention for its two national curriculum guides at the launch of the consultation for the OCR Natural History GCSE. The guides’ careful analysis of the way that the national curriculum provides opportunities for the study of environmental and ecological issues was described as “brilliant work”. Our original two guides are:…
It is argued that our relative lack of experience of environmental change leaves us vulnerable to something called shifting baseline syndrome. This describes an inability to perceive change over time; this could be personal or more social. For example, what we consider to be quite normal ecological conditions are shifting (for the worse) as time passes.…
Today’s post is by Mick Waters, one of NAEE’s Vice-Presidents. Mick was the Director of Curriculum at the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) from 2005-09 and now works with the Alliance of Leading Learning. What follows are Mick’s own views and are not necessarily shared by the Association, though we do like the nice things he says…
There is now considerable (though by no means universal) agreement with the idea that young people in schools should have an entitlement to learn in some detail about the climate problems we face, and what they individually and collectively might do in terms of adaptation and mitigation. In what follows, our Chair of Trustees, Bill…
Today’s blog is the first in a series from Richard Jurin who, before his retirement, ran the Environmental Studies programme at the University of Northern Colorado, launching a degree in Sustainability Studies. His academic interests are environmental worldviews and understanding barriers to sustainability. As ever, with our blogs, Richard’s views are not necessarily shared by…
Today’s blog is the latest in a series by Tom Davies who co-ordinates NAEE’s Facebook pages. As ever, the views expressed are Tom’s, and are not necessarily shared by NAEE. My time working as a professional in education is short but my time as a learner spans the whole of my 25 years of life.…