Broadening Teaching Styles to Incorporate Climate Change as the main beat in Education

Educational Business Services intends to host a number of campaigns that will address pollution  and teach children how pollution also affects climate change. Awareness is the most critical agent when it comes to educating people about these issues, especially people that do not understand the impacts global warming has on their direct life and more so, people that know very little about it.

For centuries, the world has grown a dependency on fossil fuels. The coal and fuel industry has been powering economies, therefore, creating employment and providing dense energy that has made life more convenient by supplying electricity, gasses and oils. 

To re-educate, influence and change the mindset of people that have grown this dependency will require breaking down psychological, political, academic, cultural and information structures that people are accustomed to. 

Awareness is the most critical agent when it comes to educating people about climate change, especially people that do not understand the impacts global warming has on their direct life and more so, people that know nothing about it.

For regions such as Africa, where people haven’t experienced extreme weather disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires and many more. People might be aware of these global disasters, but lack an understanding of what fuels them to be extreme and therefore these extreme conditions are perceived as a distant matter of concern. This ignorance issue also touches on inequality in education as people know about temperatures changing, but do not understand the warming of the atmosphere has an impact on the changes.

Communication inequality is also one of the biggest topples when it comes to awareness. Fortunately for developed countries such as the United States, there is an abundance of information and public awareness initiatives that address this challenge. For many undeveloped countries, there aren’t enough resources and initiatives on climate change and the topic stands treated as of secondary importance.

Economic and civic engagement factors are also some of the challenges that hinder concern and knowledge. Many underdeveloped countries are affected by poverty, political instability and wars, therefore making it impossible for people that are concerned about just surviving to take climate change into consideration, especially when they don’t have an understanding of the topic. 

Strong traditional beliefs and religion also play a role when it comes to the urgency and understanding of climate change. What’s ironic about this factor is that while some communities believe that religious and traditional figures are in control of weather conditions, climate change has a direct and negative impact on these cultures

Given the broadness and diverse information around climate change, it is vital for Educators to understand the scientific research and historical data around what climate change is, and find effective and efficient educating styles that relay the message to different  audiences, with different understandings of the topic.

While climate change has previously been viewed as a scientific, environmental and political topic, educators have to broaden educating styles on climate change and incorporate the topic in various curriculums. For example in financial education, mentioning costs of renewable energy on the economy can be centered around climate change, and in food education, educators can highlight the impact of greenhouse gasses on food production. Climate change literally affects our everyday life, the topic can be incorporated into all types of beats including art, geography, politics, sciences and more.

Given that many people still believe that climate change is a surface-level concern that only relates to temperature changes, not grasping the detrimental implications of it on the global economy, health and infrastructure. It is important that educators use simple terminology when educating on this topic, the use of supporting visuals such as graphs that show changes in the earth’s heating over the decades, and videos of extreme recurring disasters can be effective and easier to understand.

As humans, we are wired to find interest in stories that are relatable and affect our daily lives. While climate change is an urgent matter, educators can introduce the topic using a positive tone instead of a negative or urgent tone. For example, mentioning how combating climate change can help people save money, improve their health, create jobs and improve their lifestyle. While it is an urgent and concerning topic, changing the narrative and feel of the stories could attract and relate to more audiences.

With that said, it is also important that educators graphically teach on what’s at stake, by quoting organizations such as the World Health Organisation on the number of people that get sick and die daily due to climate change, hunger challenges in poor communities and long-term impacts that climate change will have for present and future generations.