50 research outputs found
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Comparative and International Perspectives on Environmental Education
Environmental education (EE) is a global pedagogical movement that is closely related to the environmental movement. It encourages schools to raise awareness for the inter-dependency of the environment, society, and economic growth. It also motivates learners to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices. EE is seen as a long-term strategy to address environmental challenges such as climate change and pollution. In this Keynote presentation at the Research Symposium of the North American Association for Environmental Education, I discuss the global nature of the EE movement. The presentation begins with a brief introduction to the field of Comparative and International Education (CIE). Then, I outline and demonstrate four contributions the CIE field can offer to EE research: (1) Analysis of emergence and development of transnational discourses that link education, environment, and more recently sustainability; (2) Analysis of impact of transnational discourses on countries worldwide; (3) Analysis of the role of local context in shaping environmental education policy and practice; and (4) Critical view on global diffusion of policy and practice. I conclude the presentation with lessons from another educational movement: International Large-Scale Assessments.
Video of the Keynote is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-7NY-0vKDc&t=881
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The Benefits of Green Teams: Strategies for Educators to Enhance Sustainability Education
Green Teams are integral components of extracurricular activities within K-12 schools. A Green Team functions as an independent group or as part of the Student Government or another school club, such as the science club, committed to enhancing sustainability through various projects, awareness campaigns, and actionable initiatives. Comprising students, teachers, and other community stakeholders, including administrators, custodians, and parents, a Green Team embodies a collaborative effort toward fostering environmental consciousness and responsible stewardship within educational settings. This report provides background information about Green Teams and their potential impact using insights and data from studies in New York City Public Schools.
This report is part of Good to Know: Research that Matters, which is an original, short-format series that highlights practical information based on studies conducted by the Center for Sustainable Futures at Teachers College, Columbia University. Read more here: https://www.tc.columbia.edu/sustainability
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Two Worldviews, One Planet: U.S. Public Views on Climate Change Education in a Time of Political Polarization
Scientists and the international community agree: Climate change is a defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. Despite the importance of education in climate mitigation and adaptation, research into how the general public view teaching about climate change is relatively limited. This research brief begins to address this gap by examining Americans' views of teaching about climate change in primary and secondary schools and variation across socio-demographic groups and other relevant attitudes. A majority of Americans support teaching about climate change in primary and secondary schools. The level of support, however, varies by key demographics (e.g., race/ethnicity, education attainment, income, and community type) and political ideology. Moreover, support for teaching about climate change is high among Americans who prioritize environmental protection, endorse the scientific consensus about the causes of climate change, and are already concerned about the topic. With this clear and robust signal from the public, policymakers and frontline educators should continue with efforts to improve and enhance CCE in the United States
Politics of Education and Teachers’ Support for High-Stakes Teacher Accountability Policies
Although educators are at the center of contentious high-stakes teacher accountability policies, we know very little about their attitudes toward these policies. This research gap is unfortunate because teachers are considered key actors in successful implementation of educational reforms. To what extent do the politics that accompany the introduction of high-stakes teacher accountability policies affect teachers’ support for the policies themselves? To address this gap, we used data from an experimental survey of teachers in New Jersey (n=444), where a new reform—Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for Children of New Jersey Act (TEACHNJ)—was signed into law in 2012 and implemented shortly after. The cornerstone of the reform is a new evaluation system that ties student performance on standardized tests to teachers’ evaluation. We found that the majority of teachers oppose the new evaluation system. Teachers’ attitudes were shaped by the politics of the key actors advocating for the policy, perceptions of implementation efforts, and beliefs in the potential outcome of the policy. Open-ended responses indicated that teachers question the validity of the evaluation system and are concerned about the negative intended and unintended consequences of the system. We conclude this paper by discussing the implications of these findings for policy studies and policymaking
PolĂtica educativa e professores em apoio Ă s polĂticas de prestação de contas
Although educators are at the center of contentious high-stakes teacher accountability policies, we know very little about their attitudes toward these policies. This research gap is unfortunate because teachers are considered key actors in successful implementation of educational reforms. To what extent do the politics that accompany the introduction of high-stakes teacher accountability policies affect teachers’ support for the policies themselves? To address this gap, we used data from an experimental survey of teachers in New Jersey (n=444), where a new reform—Teacher Effectiveness and Accountability for Children of New Jersey Act (TEACHNJ)—was signed into law in 2012 and implemented shortly after. The cornerstone of the reform is a new evaluation system that ties student performance on standardized tests to teachers’ evaluation. We found that the majority of teachers oppose the new evaluation system. Teachers’ attitudes were shaped by the politics of the key actors advocating for the policy, perceptions of implementation efforts, and beliefs in the potential outcome of the policy. Open-ended responses indicated that teachers question the validity of the evaluation system and are concerned about the negative intended and unintended consequences of the system. We conclude this paper by discussing the implications of these findings for policy studies and policymaking.Aunque los educadores están en el centro de las polĂ©micas polĂticas de responsabilidad de los maestros, sabemos muy poco acerca de sus actitudes hacia estas polĂticas. Esta brecha de investigaciĂłn es desafortunada porque los maestros son considerados actores clave en la implementaciĂłn exitosa de las reformas educativas. ÂżHasta quĂ© punto la polĂtica que acompaña a la introducciĂłn de polĂticas de responsabilidad de maestros de alto riesgo afecta el apoyo de los profesores a las polĂticas mismas? Para abordar esta laguna, utilizamos datos de una encuesta experimental de maestros en New Jersey (n = 444), donde una nueva reforma -La Ley de Eficacia y RendiciĂłn de Cuentas de los Maestros de Niños de New Jersey (TEACHNJ) poco despuĂ©s. La piedra angular de la reforma es un nuevo sistema de evaluaciĂłn que vincula el desempeño de los estudiantes en las pruebas estandarizadas con las evaluaciones de los maestros. Encontramos que la mayorĂa de los maestros en nuestro estudio se oponen al nuevo sistema de evaluaciĂłn. Las actitudes de los maestros fueron moldeadas por la polĂtica de los actores claves que abogaban por la polĂtica, las percepciones de los esfuerzos de implementaciĂłn y las creencias en el resultado potencial de la polĂtica. Las respuestas abiertas indican que los docentes cuestionan la validez del sistema de evaluaciĂłn y están preocupados por las consecuencias negativas y no intencionales del sistema. Concluimos este trabajo discutiendo las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para los estudios de polĂticas y la formulaciĂłn de polĂticas.Embora os educadores estejam no centro das controvertidas polĂticas de responsabilidade dos professores, sabemos muito pouco sobre suas atitudes em relação a essas polĂticas. Esta lacuna de pesquisa Ă© lamentável porque os professores sĂŁo considerados protagonistas da implementação bem-sucedida de reformas educacionais. Em que medida a polĂtica que acompanha a introdução de polĂticas de responsabilidade de professores de alto risco afeta o apoio dos professores Ă s prĂłprias polĂticas? Para abordar esta lacuna, utilizamos dados de uma Pesquisa de Professores Experimentais em New Jersey (n = 444), onde uma nova reforma - Lei de Responsabilidade e Responsabilidade dos Professores de Nova Jersey (TEACHNJ) pouco depois. A pedra angular da reforma Ă© um novo sistema de avaliação que relaciona o desempenho do aluno em testes padronizados com avaliações de professores. Achamos que a maioria dos professores em nosso estudo se opõe ao novo sistema de avaliação. As atitudes dos professores foram moldadas pela polĂtica dos principais atores que defendiam polĂticas, percepções de esforços de implementação e crenças sobre o resultado potencial da polĂtica. As respostas abertas indicam que os professores questionam a validade do sistema de avaliação e estĂŁo preocupados com as conseqĂĽĂŞncias negativas e nĂŁo intencionais do sistema. ConcluĂmos este artigo discutindo as implicações desses achados para estudos de polĂtica e elaboração de polĂticas
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Media coverage of PISA 2012: Evidence from pilot study in 20 countries
A central premise of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) – such as OECD’s PISA – is informing and enriching public discourse on education. Following the immense expansion of ILSAs, scholars have begun to explore reactions to these assessments through analysis of newspapers coverage. Most studies in this line of research rely on only one or two countries, yet employ a rich qualitative methodology. Thus, we know little about trends across large number of countries and the interaction between countries (e.g., externalization) as reflected in these news stories. In this pilot study I ask: How do newspapers filter and translate scientific and technical information – PISA - to the general public?
The study seeks to contribute to the literature by examining newspapers coverage of PISA 2012 in 20 countries using a quantitative content analysis methodology. This methodology pays attention to the article as a whole and to the different speakers and their speech acts. For each country, we collected and coded 10 articles (from two or more sources) that were published in the week following the release of PISA.
The analysis point to three emerging themes. First, newspapers offer very limited information about PISA; only one-third (32%) of stories discuss the methodology behind PISA, and more than three-quarters (78%) of stories present simple rankings (versus other, more informative indicators). Second, we find much variation across countries with respect to tone and speakers. For example, while in Spain close to half (45%) of speakers are affiliated with the academia, in Spain half of the speakers are affiliated with the Ministry of Education. Third, using network analysis, we find that top performers (e.g., Shanghai and Finland) are referenced more than other countries (see Appendix A). In the full paper, we further examine and test different explanations for these patterns.
The document includes PowerPoint slides with key findings from the pilot study as well as a copy of the media analysis protocol developed for this study
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Americans Endorse Climate Change Education
Scientists and the international community agree: Climate change is a defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. Whether referred to as "global warming" or "climate change," these patterns have already had observable effects on our planet, including loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves. Education, from classrooms to boardrooms, is seen as a critical tool for boosting both resilience and the capacity to carry out the enormous social and technological changes necessary to cut risks as the human surge meets accelerating climate disruption. By engaging students with climate science, energy history and related subjects, schools can help young people grasp reality amid today’s noise and polarization, and shape academic, civic and career paths that can help build a climate-safe future.
Public opinion polling on teaching about global warming and climate change is a relatively limited. This research brief examines Americans' views of teaching about global warming and climate change in primary and secondary schools. The brief provides detailed analysis by socio-demographic groups and open-ended reflection from respondents
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Social Analysis of International Assessments of Student Achievement
This graduate seminar provides students with a comprehensive curriculum on international large-scale assessments (ILSAs), including OECD-PISA and IEA-TIMSS. The seminar includes three complementing sections. The first section of the course is focused on the methodology behind global and regional projects. Here, we will discuss limitations and ways to further develop sampling methods, instruments and measurements. The second section is dedicated to the history of international assessments and to conditions that facilitated their emergence and diffusion. The third section is focused on critical analysis of the ways in which scholars, media, and policy makers use data from international assessments. The seminar will consist of short lectures accompanied by class discussions and exercises based on careful reading of the assigned materials. Students are expected to read all the materials identified for the session before each class, participate actively in the discussion, and complete all written assignments
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The Public Matters: Technical Note
Citizen preferences play a key role in a democracy, and there is a substantial body of work that tries to understand the role that public preferences play in the policy process. Despite the important role public opinion plays, there are only limited efforts to document public opinion about education, psychology, and health. The Public Matters project seeks to address this gap by providing reliable, valid public opinion data to inform public debate. The Project includes a series of public opinion surveys on a variety of issues related to governance, policies, and practice that have the potential to affect human development