What do climate change and sustainability have to do with me?’ A survey of teachers in England.

Citation

Greer K, Sheldrake R, Rushton E, Kitson A, Hargreaves E & Walshe N (2023) What do climate change and sustainability have to do with me?’ A survey of teachers in England.. University College London. London. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10173208/1/Teaching%20climate%20change%20and%20sustainability_CCCSE%20survey_July%202023.pdf

Abstract
Introduction: Education, including formal schooling, is widely understood to be central to the development of the knowledge and skills that children and young people need to live sustainable lives and respond to the challenges of climate change. The teaching they have access to is crucial for that development. Teachers and their professional development are, therefore, central to effective climate change and sustainability education. Initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional development (CPD) related to climate change and sustainability can enhance teachers’ capabilities to support education’s role in the large-scale change that is needed to transform people and cultures to more environmentally and socially sustainable ways of being. However, to maximise the effectiveness of ITE and CPD, it is first important to understand current perspectives and practice in relation to climate change and sustainability education. This report examines the views and experiences of teachers in England, and highlights opportunities to enhance climate change and sustainability focused professional development at all stages of teachers’ careers. It is structured as follows: following the Introduction, Section 2 summarises the research methods, including the survey design process and the methods of analysis; Section 3 presents the analysis; and Section 4 discusses key issues relevant to climate change and sustainability education in schools.

People

Professor Lizzie Rushton

Professor of Education, Education