A Qualitative Approach to Understanding Lens on Climate Change Students' Perspectives on Climate Change

• In Event: Supporting Learning of Science and Technology Through Novel Applications of Technology

Abstract

The Lens on Climate Change (LOCC) program engages secondary students in place-based, environmental science in an informal learning environment. Small groups of students work together, with the guidance of science and film mentors, to produce a film about climate change, as they perceived it to be relevant to their local communities. The majority of students are from historically underserved communities, and the program aims to provide students with opportunities to engage with science and technology in ways that differ from opportunities available in traditional schooling. The program includes a strong emphasis on supporting multiple, varied roles for students to take on within the group, collaboration between peers and experts, and a focus on local place. The program design is influenced by sociocultural learning theories and research on place-based learning, acknowledging that learning may be regarded as something that is situated in context, inseparable from the sociocultural environment (Cole, 1996; Gruenewald, 2003; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Vygotsky, 1978).
This paper explores the relationship between the LOCC program and high school student participants’ film production experience on their attitudes and knowledge about climate change. Our primary data sources were pre- and posttest surveys that participants completed before and after participating in LOCC. Quantitative analyses were also conducted on selected pre- and posttest items from the Leiserowitz Climate Change Knowledge Survey (Leiserowitz, Smith, & Marlon, 2011). These were given to both LOCC participants and students in a demographically-matched control group, who did not participate, providing a measure of attitude change and knowledge gain.
A qualitative approach was primarily utilized, involving multiple rounds of coding and beginning with an open coding process to identify emergent themes (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). Two researchers coded the data and then discussed and resolved coding disagreements throughout the coding process. In the first round of coding, several broad codes emerged related to students’ perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes about climate change. A second, more in-depth round of coding focused on how students depicted climate change (for instance, as dangerous or overwhelming) and how students characterized the ways that climate change could be addressed (e.g., noting personal/individual or collective responsibility to take action). Raters then each summarized observed differences in participants’ responses given before and after the program. The coding process revealed that many student perspectives characterized climate change as dangerous or a significant challenge and/or as having a significant impact at the local or global level. Some participants expressed a new sense of empowerment in their abilities to take action to mitigate climate change. In a final round of coding, participants’ responses were organized by film group and two coders examined connections between the content of the film produced and the nature of group members’ responses before and after the program. Results suggest that after the LOCC film-making process, participant responses seemed to indicate that students were thinking more deeply about climate change as a serious global challenge and students likely left with a stronger sense of empowerment to either take action or spread awareness about climate related issues.

Authors

• Megan K. Littrell, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Kelsey Tayne, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Erin Leckey, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Anne Gold, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Christine Okochi, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Sarah Wise, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Susan Lynds, University of Colorado

• Lesley Smith, University of Colorado - Boulder

• David Oonk, University of Colorado - Boulder