Climate Change and Sustainability in Korean Primary and Secondary Curricula, 1955-2022 (Poster 1)

• In Event: Mapping the Terrain of Climate Change Education: Literacy, Curricula, Practices, and Policy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how environment, climate change, and sustainability are addressed in the science and social science curriculum of South Korean schools over the past seven decades. The analyses compare the inclusion of sustainability, climate change, and environment content in subjects for grades 3, 6, and 9. The findings indicate environmental content has consistently been the most covered area. Climate change content received attention in the curricula until the 1960s, then saw a decline until 2015, followed by an increase in 2022. Sustainability content first appeared in 1992 and has gradually increased, particularly in the 2022. This study underscores the importance of comprehensive Education for Sustainable Development and offers insights for future policy and curriculum development.

Authors

• Soojeong Ahn, University at Albany - SUNY

• Aaron Benavot, UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Unit