Exploring Bedouin Teachers' Sense of Place and Perspectives on Climate Change and Social Justice

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Teacher Education Toward Indigenous Futures (Table 21)

Abstract

This study explores the connection between climate literacy and sense of place among secondary-school science teachers in the Bedouin community of Israel’s Negev Desert. The role of teachers in helping students make informed decisions about climate change is crucial but challenging. The study addresses the teachers’ experiences as residents, parents, and community members, and their insights on how climate change can be addressed locally through place-based education. Interviews with ten teachers revealed their strong connection to their natural environment and their firsthand experiences of climate change. However, the teachers expressed a need for professional learning to effectively address climate change locally and advocate for social justice. Implications of advancing climate change through sense of place and social justice are discussed.

Authors

• Shaima Alokbe, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

• Wisam Sedawi, University of Michigan

• Orit Ben-Zvi Assaraf, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev