ERIC Number: ED611338
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 49
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: 978-1-99-004006-1
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Climate Change and Sustainability in Secondary Schools: Findings from a 2020 Survey of English-Medium Secondary and Composite Schools
Bolstad, Rachel
New Zealand Council for Educational Research
This report outlines findings from a survey of teachers and school leaders in a sample of English-medium secondary schools. The survey, carried out between June and August 2020, provides insights into school-wide approaches to sustainability and climate change, teaching and learning opportunities in the classroom, and the impacts of COVID-19 on thinking and practice. The survey is part of a wider New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) study on climate change and education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Overall the findings suggest that whole-school approaches and responses to climate change and sustainability--advocated for in the international literature--are not common in New Zealand secondary schools. While students in most schools have learning opportunities relating to climate change and/or sustainability, the nature and focus of these opportunities vary. The overarching research questions guiding the project include: (1) According to national, international, and Indigenous perspectives, how could Aotearoa New Zealand's education systems and policies respond to climate change?; (2) To what extent is climate change considered an urgent issue or priority in the education system (for schools, for kura, and in terms of system-level educational policy and planning)?; (3) What can be learned from kura Maori and kaupapa Maori approaches and responses?; (4) What are the implications or impacts of student-, school-, and community-led climate responses for the educational system in Aotearoa New Zealand?; and (5) What might education look like in Aotearoa New Zealand, if climate change mitigation and adaptation were factored into policy and practice across the system? [For "Climate Change and Sustainability in Primary and Intermediate Schools: Findings from the 2019 NZCER National Survey of English-Medium Schools," see ED611339. For "Opportunities for Education in a Changing Climate: Themes from Key Informant Interviews," see ED611340.]
Descriptors: Climate, Sustainability, Environmental Education, Educational Policy, Teaching Methods, Educational Practices, Principals, Administrator Attitudes, Energy Conservation, Educational Facilities, Curriculum, Student Participation, Community Involvement, Change Strategies, Ecology, Teacher Behavior, Teacher Attitudes, Life Style, Indigenous Knowledge, Foreign Countries, Secondary Education, Language of Instruction, English, COVID-19, Pandemics, School Closing, Student Transportation
New Zealand Council for Educational Research. P.O. Box 3237, Wellington 6140 New Zealand. Tel: +64-4384-7939; Fax: +64-4384-7933; Web site: http://www.nzcer.org.nz
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Numerical/Quantitative Data
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: New Zealand Council for Educational Research
Identifiers - Location: New Zealand
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A