Think Global, Act Local? Framing Strategies and Educators' Motivation for Environmental and Sustainability Education

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Place-Making Approaches With Teachers and Students

Abstract

The phrase “think global, act local” is very common in the environmental movement. Indeed, scholars often frame environmental and sustainability education (ESE) as a local response to global challenges. In this study we use data from a survey of educators in New York City (n=1,126). An embedded survey experiment suggests that the framing or description of ESE has a significant effect on educators’ engagement. Framing ESE within local sustainability goals garners more support and engagement than framing ESE within global sustainability goals. We discuss the implications of these findings to the study of ESE policy/practice, specifically to the study of ways to increase buy-in to this work.

Authors

• Oren Pizmony Levy, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Erika Kessler

• Meredith McDermott, New York City Department of Education

• Thad Copeland, The New York City Department of Education.