Experimentation of a climate change Experimentation of a climate change education model with adolescentseducation model with adolescents

Diane Pruneau, Hélène Gravel, Diane Pruneau, Hélène Gravel, Wendy Bourque, Joanne Langis Wendy Bourque, Joanne Langis

and Carole Essiembreand Carole Essiembre

The project The project Young VisionariesYoung Visionaries Three grade 7 classes from coastal communities in Three grade 7 classes from coastal communities in

N.B. (Barachois, Cap-Pelé, Grande-Digue)N.B. (Barachois, Cap-Pelé, Grande-Digue) Objectives: to improve students’ conceptions on Objectives: to improve students’ conceptions on

climate change and invite them to adopt climate change and invite them to adopt environmentally responsible behaviourenvironmentally responsible behaviour

Why we did this project to improve Why we did this project to improve conceptions on climate change?conceptions on climate change?

Climatic notions are complexClimatic notions are complex Difficulty in conceiving a global Difficulty in conceiving a global

problemproblem Not all scientists share the Not all scientists share the

same point of view on this same point of view on this subjectsubject

Teenagers have never Teenagers have never experienced a different climate experienced a different climate than the one we are than the one we are experiencing nowexperiencing now

Difficulty in changing Difficulty in changing behaviours that are rooted in behaviours that are rooted in our lifestyleour lifestyle

Results from a previous research Results from a previous research (2000, Moncton and Montréal)(2000, Moncton and Montréal)

Participants’ conceptionsParticipants’ conceptions

Climate is warming up. Why? Climate is warming up. Why? Maybe because of the ozone Maybe because of the ozone layer.layer.

I haven’t seen evidence in my I haven’t seen evidence in my communitycommunity

I am not worried because the I am not worried because the consequences won’t happen consequences won’t happen during my life especially if I live during my life especially if I live in the cityin the city

Warmer temperatures are Warmer temperatures are pleasantpleasant

Human beings can’t change Human beings can’t change anythinganything

The general population won’t The general population won’t accept to modify their accept to modify their behaviourbehaviour

A climate change education modelA climate change education model

Invite teenagers to make a Invite teenagers to make a local local observation of climate observation of climate change : evidence, causes and possible consequences change : evidence, causes and possible consequences in their communityin their community

Ask them to put together their own opinion on the subjectAsk them to put together their own opinion on the subject Show images of the greenhouse effect that are easy to Show images of the greenhouse effect that are easy to

understand and to rememberunderstand and to remember Give them the opportunity to accomplish a group action Give them the opportunity to accomplish a group action

to help the climateto help the climate Make them appreciate the local natural elementsMake them appreciate the local natural elements Give them the chance to communicate their new Give them the chance to communicate their new

knowledge on climate changeknowledge on climate change

Model characteristics Model characteristics Experiential: observe climate Experiential: observe climate

change outside, accomplish an change outside, accomplish an actionaction

Future education: think about Future education: think about what could happen in the what could happen in the future (local impacts of climate future (local impacts of climate change) and believe that we change) and believe that we can change the futurecan change the future

Image education Image education Education to develop a Education to develop a

relationship with the natural relationship with the natural surroundingssurroundings

Socioconstructivist approach Socioconstructivist approach to favour conceptual changeto favour conceptual change

Events of the projectEvents of the project

Model experimentation Model experimentation during 10 months – 2 during 10 months – 2 sixty minute periods per sixty minute periods per monthmonth

Individual interviews with Individual interviews with researchers to learn the researchers to learn the students’ conceptions on students’ conceptions on climate change before the climate change before the projectproject

Detailed and critical Detailed and critical observations of a beach observations of a beach and drawing a map of the and drawing a map of the beachbeach

Events of the project (more)Events of the project (more) Information on greenhouse Information on greenhouse

effect with the help of a effect with the help of a simplified imagesimplified image

Observation, in the community, Observation, in the community, of possible evidence of climate of possible evidence of climate change and particularly of a change and particularly of a storm that occured in 2000 (on storm that occured in 2000 (on videotape)videotape)

Work in teams of Work in teams of meteorologists, chemists, meteorologists, chemists, ecologists, doctors and urban ecologists, doctors and urban planners to study their planners to study their community’s situation and to community’s situation and to predict what could happen with predict what could happen with the temperature, animal the temperature, animal species, waterways, human species, waterways, human health and coastal health and coastal infrastructures with climate infrastructures with climate changechange

Events of the project (more)Events of the project (more) Presentation of their Presentation of their

discoveries in pamphlets sent discoveries in pamphlets sent out to the 2 other schoolsout to the 2 other schools

Outings to evaluate the Outings to evaluate the community’s sustainabilitycommunity’s sustainability

Conference and game at the Conference and game at the university: town council university: town council representatives presentrepresentatives present

Creation by the students of a Creation by the students of a video and a CD-ROM on video and a CD-ROM on climate change for students climate change for students across the provinceacross the province

Events of the project (more)Events of the project (more)

Accomplishment of Accomplishment of actions at school: actions at school: Project Lunch without Project Lunch without

waste waste Tree planting with Tree planting with

explanations of their explanations of their ecological valueecological value

Events of the project (more)Events of the project (more)

Outing in the forest to Outing in the forest to observe how trees observe how trees are influenced by are influenced by climatic variationsclimatic variations

SoloSolo Interviews with Interviews with

researchers to identify researchers to identify final conceptions on final conceptions on climate changeclimate change

Results: Conceptions of the phenomenon (n=39) Results: Conceptions of the phenomenon (n=39) (misconceptions are in italics)(misconceptions are in italics)

Teenagers’ ideas Initial evaluation Final evaluation

Conception similar to that of scientists 0 24

The planet is warming and cooling 0 4

Temperature is increasing, so the ice is melting and sea level is rising 0 3

Rapid or gradual increase in temperature 0 2

The layer of gas surrounding Earth. When temperature increases, half of the gas evaporates, the rest stays around the Earth

1 1

Pollution gets around the ozone layer and the temperature increases 0 1

The ozone layer around the Earth. Temperature becomes warmer, more solar rays are entering than before

0 1

Abnormal changes in the temperature caused by pollution 4 0

I don’t know 26 0

Results: Evidence (n=39) Results: Evidence (n=39) (misconceptions are in italics)(misconceptions are in italics)

Evidence Initial evaluation Final evaluation

Warmer summers, temperature increases 0 6

Floods, sea level rise 0 5

Ice breaks wharves, sand dunes 0 3

Beach becomes smaller 0 2

No more snow or less snow during the winter season 1 2

More storms, rain storms 0 2

We had snow this Winter but it was warm 0 1

The ordinary change in the seasons 0 1

More snow in the winter 0 1

Lawns less green 0 1

I don’t know 37 0

Results: Causes (n=39) Results: Causes (n=39) (misconceptions are in italics)(misconceptions are in italics)

Causes Initial evaluation Final evaluation

Smoke from the automobiles 1 14

Pollution 0 11

The layer of gas gets thicker, temperature increases 0 11

Smoke from the industries 1 7

Waste in the air 0 6

I don’t know 37 3

Smoke 0 3

Temperature, heat 0 2

Cigarette smoke 0 2

Boats 0 2

The ozone layer (the sun goes through because of the holes) 0 1

Landfills 0 1

Solar rays are stuck in the ozone layer and this heats up the Eartn 0 1

The sun melts the ice 0 1

Results: Consequences of climate change (n=39) Results: Consequences of climate change (n=39) (misconceptions are in italics)(misconceptions are in italics)

Consequences Initial evaluation Final evaluation

Sea level rise, erosion 0 10

Floods, tornados, storms 0 9

Trees are going to die because it will be too cold or too hot 0 8

Animals could die because the temperature is increasing 0 7

It’s going to be warmer 1 7

Destruction of cottages and wharves near the water 1 7

Affects human health : disease and mortality 1 6

Beach modification 0 6

Destroy the food web or animal habitats 0 5

I don’t know 37 3

Skin cancer 0 2

Less fish because the water will be warm 0 2

Lack of water 0 2

We will have different trees here 0 2

Results: Actions that we can take (n=39) Results: Actions that we can take (n=39) (misconceptions are in italics)(misconceptions are in italics)

Actions Initial evaluation Final evaluation

Walk or use your bicycle instead of driving an automobile 0 19

Pollute less 0 9

Put waste in the garbage 0 7

Inform others 0 6

Recycle 0 6

Sort your waste 0 2

Plant a garden 0 2

Plant trees 0 2

Use plastic containers for your sandwich instead of plastic bags 0 1

I can’t really do something (I am only one person) 1 1

I don’t know 38 0

 

Students’ impression that people will mobilize and that we will be able Students’ impression that people will mobilize and that we will be able to stop the damage (n=39)to stop the damage (n=39)

Answers Initial evaluation Final evaluation

No, there are always people that are going to pollute 1 20

No, there is already a lot of pollution in the atmosphere and we can’t take it out

0 2

It may be natural 0 2

No, we are used to taking our automobiles, faster ways 0 2

There is already a lot of pollution in the atmosphere and the greenhouse is very much damaged

0 1

People don’t know that climate change is occuring 0 1

There are many climate changes and you can’t tell where they are 0 1

It is a powerful thing 0 1

Results: Pedagogical activities that helped Results: Pedagogical activities that helped their understanding (n=39)their understanding (n=39)

Activities Final evaluation

Beach outing 17

Team work as scientists 11

Conference at the University 8

The action of planting trees with their explanations 5

Forest outing 4

Climate change explanations 3

All the activities (what we saw, discussed) 2

The video 2

Review after the activities 1

Water samples 1

Observation of the commitment Observation of the commitment of 7 students in Barachoisof 7 students in Barachois

Individual interviews during the entire projectIndividual interviews during the entire project Results: not every student was at the same pointResults: not every student was at the same point

Intention : wants to talk about itIntention : wants to talk about it Talks about itTalks about it

Environmental actionsEnvironmental actions Exercise vigilanceExercise vigilance Avoid …Avoid … Recover…Recover… Brings on new behaviour...Brings on new behaviour...

ConclusionConclusion

Start of awarenessStart of awareness Commitment expressed by the desire to Commitment expressed by the desire to

know more, to explain to others, to know more, to explain to others, to participate in actionsparticipate in actions

Transition of the spectator status to the Transition of the spectator status to the actor …support !actor …support !

Result analysisResult analysis Important improvement of the Important improvement of the

students’ conceptions on the students’ conceptions on the nature, causes, evidence, local nature, causes, evidence, local and personal consequences of and personal consequences of climate change and actions you climate change and actions you can takecan take

Development in some students of Development in some students of erroneous or unexpected erroneous or unexpected conceptions:conceptions:

Erroneous comprehension of Erroneous comprehension of the greenhouse effect (n=3)the greenhouse effect (n=3)

Confusion between climate Confusion between climate change and the normal change and the normal change in the seasons (n=2)change in the seasons (n=2)

Conception that litter has an Conception that litter has an impact on the climate (n=8)impact on the climate (n=8)

Conception that climate Conception that climate change is an important change is an important phenomenon and that adults phenomenon and that adults won’t mobilize to change won’t mobilize to change things (n=20)things (n=20)

Model analysisModel analysis The local study of the phenomenon has encouraged an The local study of the phenomenon has encouraged an

awareness and made learning easierawareness and made learning easier Students were encouraged to learn by the Students were encouraged to learn by the

socioconstructivist approach (like scientists) but found it socioconstructivist approach (like scientists) but found it difficultdifficult

Students liked to handle scientific instruments Students liked to handle scientific instruments The drawing of the greenhouse effect was efficientThe drawing of the greenhouse effect was efficient The accomplishment of an action helped develop a The accomplishment of an action helped develop a

feeling of capability to actfeeling of capability to act Sensory activities linking with nature are usefulSensory activities linking with nature are useful The communication of knowledge helped in the retention The communication of knowledge helped in the retention

and was appreciated because teenagers like to meet and was appreciated because teenagers like to meet other teenagersother teenagers

Modifications to the modelModifications to the model

Allow more time to better understand the Allow more time to better understand the phenomenon and to practice new behaviourphenomenon and to practice new behaviour

Give the chance to accomplish personal actions Give the chance to accomplish personal actions and not only group actions : students could and not only group actions : students could choose by themselves to try out behaviour and choose by themselves to try out behaviour and to hear about others that do the sameto hear about others that do the same

Potential development of the idea that many Potential development of the idea that many others are mobilizing to change thingsothers are mobilizing to change things

The Mutants’ Circle The Mutants’ Circle ProjectProject An action researchAn action research

Teachers try to modify their students’ behaviourTeachers try to modify their students’ behaviour We monitor the students while they try out their We monitor the students while they try out their

new behaviournew behaviour