Formal Curriculum Does Not Influence Teachers' Inclusion of Climate Change in Their Lessons Across 18 Countries

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Frameworks and Controversial Issues in the Classroom (Table 10)

Abstract

PISA 2018 data from 18 countries was used to analyze if the presence of a formal climate change (CC) curriculum at a school is a significant predictor of the likelihood of a teacher to teach CC. A logistic regression indicated the presence of a formal CC curriculum was not a statistically significant predictor of a teacher to teach CC, holding country, school effects, and teacher effects constant. This study highlights that key teacher variables, including science training and personal habits (i.e., reading, following the news), are significant predictors of the likelihood of a teacher to teach CC. Global science education policy may benefit from shifting focus away from curriculum reform and towards developing teachers' skills.

Author

• Meredith Bittel, University of Kansas