NEWS RELEASE
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY
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Lakehead University researcher Dr. Ellen Field is leading a project to support and accelerate the integration of climate change education in teacher education programs across Canada.
The two-year project will support professional learning experiences in climate change education for those studying in professional programs, and provide professional development opportunities for those already in the teaching profession. Field, an assistant professor in the faculty of education, has received $449,000 from Environment Climate Change Canada to lead this project in partnership with Dr. Hilary Inwood from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.
“Our research has shown that there is a clear need to support teachers with climate change education and resources,” says Field. “This is an opportunity for us to work with teacher education programs to embed the concepts of climate change education in pedagogy and teacher training practices. Doing so will ensure that teachers entering K-12 classrooms have a solid understanding of climate change, as well as how to teach this content in effective, justice-oriented, and experiential ways.”
Over the next two years, Field and Inwood, along with a team of graduate students, will deliver five components, including a national e-course in climate change education for both pre-service and in-service teachers, a webinar series focused on teacher education and the other on K-12 formal education, a national roundtable on climate change education, and accelerator seed grants for faculties of education to improve climate change education.
“If we want to improve climate change education and environmental and sustainability education in formal education systems, we need to strengthen these in teacher education programs,” states Inwood. “This project will help faculties of education establish new policy and improve their course and extracurricular programming in climate change education through accelerator seed grant funding. This is a critical step in ensuring the central role of all levels of education in addressing the climate crisis.”
For more information on this project visit acceleratingcce.ca.
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