Climate Change and the Importance of Empowering Citizens-Science Teachers' Beliefs About Educational Response in Nepal
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Water and Environmental Studies Department of Thematic Studies Linköping University Climate change and the importance of empowering citizens-Science teachers’ beliefs about educational response in Nepal Ramesh Maharjan Master’s programme Science for Sustainable Development Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS credits ISRN: LIU-TEMAV/MPSSD-A--13/003--SE Linköpings Universitet Water and Environmental Studies Department of Thematic Studies Linköping University Climate change and the importance of empowering citizens-Science teachers’ beliefs about educational response in Nepal Ramesh Maharjan Master’s programme Science for Sustainable Development Master’s Thesis, 30 ECTS credits Supervisor: Per Gyberg 2013 i Upphovsrätt Detta dokument hålls tillgängligt på Internet – eller dess framtida ersättare – under 25 år från publiceringsdatum under förutsättning att inga extraordinära omständigheter uppstår. 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For additional information about Linköping University Electronic Press and its procedures for publication and for assurance of document integrity, please refer to its www home page: http://www.ep.liu.se/. © Ramesh Maharjan ii Abstract 1 1. Introduction 2 1.1 Significance of the study: 2 1.2 Significance of the study area: 2 1.3 Aim of the study 3 1.4 Thesis disposition 3 2. Background 4 2.1 Previous research on climate change education: 4 2.2 Education and school system in Nepal: 5 2.2.1. Pre-school education: 6 2.2.2 Primary school 6 2.2.3 Secondary school 6 2.2.4 Higher education 6 2.3 School sector reform plan (SSRP) 6 2.4 Current secondary level education in Nepal at a glance: 7 2.5 Local need based education 8 3. Theoretical framework 9 3.1 Social learning theory: 9 4. Materials and methods 11 4.1 Design of the interview guide 11 4.2 Analysis of secondary Science curriculum 11 4.3 Target population 12 4.4 Semi-structured interviews 13 4.5 Significance of the method chosen: 13 4.6 Respondents: 13 4.7 Transcription and translations 14 4.8 Thematic analysis 14 4.9 Limitation of the study 15 5. Results: 16 5.1 On perceptions of climate change: 16 5.1.1 Climate change impacts are locally observed in different sectors. 16 5.2 On importance of climate change education in the classrooms: 17 5.2.1 Knowledge is key to climate change initiatives. 17 5.3 On introduction of climate change issues in the classrooms: 18 5.3.1 Linking related topics to the climate change issues 18 5.3.2 Inquiry-based and contextual 18 iii 5.4 On learning outcomes of climate change education in the classrooms: 19 5.4.1 Awareness amongst the students in climate change issues 19 5.5 On collaboration among the teachers on climate change issues: 20 5.5.1 Informal discussion as per the need about climate change issue 20 5.6 On secondary school Science curriculum: 20 5.6.1 Need to incorporate more climate change issues in the secondary curriculum. 20 5.7 On problems, barriers or challenges: 21 5.7.1 Lack of physical facilities: 21 5.7.2 Lack of knowledge: 21 5.7.3 Curricular exclusion: 22 5.7.4 Theory-based and marks-oriented education system 22 5.7.5 Whose responsibility is it? 22 5.8 On suggestions on effective climate change education in the classrooms: 22 5.8.1 Need for teachers‘ trainings 22 5.8.2 Curricular update 22 5.8.3 Development of infrastructures 23 5.8.4 Civic sense and responsibility 23 5.8.5 Constructive approach and use of latest teaching aids 23 5.9 Summary of the main results 23 5.9.1 Perception of climate change amongst the Science teachers: 23 5.9.2 Dealing with climate change issues in the classroom 23 5.9.3 Major challenges and problems the Science teachers are facing in climate change communication 24 5.9.4 Views on exiting secondary Science curriculum 24 6. Discussion 25 6.1 Implications of the study: 27 6.2 Possible extension of the research: 27 6.3 Conclusion: 27 7. Acknowledgement 29 8. References: 30 To the teachers concerned: 33 Appendix-II 34 Interview Guides: 34 Presentation of Objectives: 34 Appendix-II Continued 35 iv Abstract Educational response to climate change is one of the measures to prepare people to combat climate change. This thesis explores the lived experiences of secondary Science teachers from Kathmandu Valley on the perception of climate change, the way they handled climate change issues in the classroom setting, the problems and challenges they came across in climate change communication in the classrooms and the relevance of existing secondary Science curriculum in relation to climate change. The thesis is built upon the study of secondary Science curriculum, relevant literature on climate change education and the interviews with secondary Science teachers, teaching Science at secondary level in different schools of Kathmandu Valley. The results showed that the teachers were convinced and concerned on the ongoing climate change and stressed on knowledge for climate change actions; they were found to introduce climate change issues contextually and relating to the topics like greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion they teach; lack of resources, exclusion of climate change in the secondary Science curriculum, their own limited knowledge on climate change, the unpractical theory and marks oriented educational system, and shifting of the responsibilities by the students hindered effective climate change communication in the classroom settings. The findings have been discussed in relation to social learning theory and relevant literature. ___________________________________________________________________________ Key words: climate change, curriculum, Kathmandu Valley, Science, social learning theory Acronyms and abbreviations CBS: Central Bureau of Statistics CDC: Curriculum Development Centre DEO: District Education Office ECD: Early Childhood Development HPE: Health, Population and Environment IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change MOE: Ministry of Education NTB: Nepal Tourism Board OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development SLC: School Leaving Certificate SSRP: School Sector Reform Programme TSC: Teachers‘ Service Commission UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization WWF: World Wildlife Fund 1 1. Introduction 1.1 Significance of the study: Climate change is the most serious environmental threat of the 21st century (Boykoff and Boykoff, 2007). However the threat of climate change is not limited to the environment alone. According to OECD (2009), climate change seriously affects the economic and social aspects of the sustainable development. Though the global general public seem to be divided in the climate change issues, there is now growing scientific consensus in the international communities that the human-induced climate change is taking place (Oreskes, 2007). The publication of the latest report of IPCC (2007) also declares that ―warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level‖ (p.2). The IPCC (2007) further acknowledges that the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the major cause of the climate change. The warnings on the severity of the impacts and vulnerabilities of climate change as projected by IPCC have drawn global attention for the various adaptation and mitigation efforts to tackle the problem of dangerous climate change. Thus effective and responsible climate change communication and education in different sectors has been stressed as one of the measures to combat climate change. While educational organizations ranging from secondary schools to universities have been thought to play important roles in result-oriented climate change communication (Nerlich, et al. 2010), UNESCO stresses on reviewing the existing