Emotions about Teaching about Human-Induced Climate Change

Global climate change is receiving increasing attention as a classroom topic. At the same time, research has shown that individuals have strong emotions about the topic. Emotions about controversial topics and individuals' dispositions toward knowledge have been shown to influence judgments abo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of science education 2013-01, Vol.35 (1), p.167-191
Main Authors: Lombardi, Doug, Sinatra, Gale M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Climate
Climate change
Earth science education
Elementary School Teachers
Emotional Response
Emotions
Environmental Education
Judgment
Knowledge
Literacy Education
Perceptions
Plausibility judgments and reasoning
Predictor Variables
Preservice Teachers
Psychological Patterns
Science Teachers
Secondary School Teachers
Student Teacher Attitudes
Teacher Attitudes
Teacher Behavior
Teacher beliefs
Teacher emotions
Teachers
United States (Southwest)
Weather
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Summary:Global climate change is receiving increasing attention as a classroom topic. At the same time, research has shown that individuals have strong emotions about the topic. Emotions about controversial topics and individuals' dispositions toward knowledge have been shown to influence judgments about these topics. This study examined the relationships among preservice elementary and in-service secondary science teachers' emotions about and plausibility perceptions of climate change, background knowledge of weather and climate distinctions (a principle related to understanding climate change), and dispositions toward knowledge. Teachers' topic emotions (anger and hopelessness) were significant predictors of plausibility perceptions, with more anger associated with lesser plausibility and greater hopelessness associated with higher plausibility. Decisiveness-an urgent desire to reach closure-was also significantly related to plausibility perceptions with greater decisiveness associated with reduced plausibility perceptions. In-service secondary teachers who do not currently teach about climate change exhibited greater anger and decisiveness than preservice elementary teachers and in-service secondary teachers who do teach about climate change. Implications for climate literacy education are discussed.
ISSN:0950-0693
1464-5289
DOI:10.1080/09500693.2012.738372