The (un)political perspective on climate change in education – a systematic review

Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires foundational changes in societies, politics, and economies. Greater effectiveness has been attributed to actions in the public sphere than to the actions of individuals. However, little is known about how climate literacy programs address the political aspects of mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this systematic literature review is to fill this gap and analyze how public-sphere actions on mitigation and adaptation are discussed in climate literacy programs in schools. Based on database searches following PRISMA guidelines we identified 75 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found that central aspects of climate policy such as the 1.5-degree limit, the IPCC reports, or climate justice are rarely addressed. Whilst responsibility for emissions is attributed to the public sphere, the debate about mitigation usually focuses on the private sphere. Climate change education does not, therefore, correspond to the climate research discourse. We show that effective mitigation and adaptation are based on public-sphere actions and thus conclude that effective climate education should discuss those public actions if it is to be effective. Hence, we propose that climate education should incorporate political literacy to educate climate-literate citizens

Was ist Wissen, was ist Können? Deutungen des Kompetenzbegriffs und deren psychometrische Konsequenzen im Kontext von Fachwissen und Variablenkontrollstrategie

With regard to the correlation of science knowledge and the ability to apply the control-of-variables strategy, the present paper investigates whether conceptualizing the role of knowledge for competences differently can motivate different psychometric models and whether using these models may lead to different information in quantitative studies. Using a sample from a cross sectional study (n = 990) on the correlation of knowledge and the control-of-variables-strategy as part of experimental competence in physics, we compared the results of applying between- und within-item-IRT-models that refer to different conceptualizations. Based on quartiles of the competence distributions, we found that only 67.4% of the students will be categorized into the same quartiles. Moreover, the models lead to different information about the competence development across years as well as about gender differences. We discuss these findings with regard to basic research, to system monitoring and to the development of teaching practices focusing on competencesDer vorliegende Beitrag untersucht, inwiefern sich verschiedene Deutungen des Kompetenzbegriffs in psychometrische Modelle überführen lassen und welche Konsequenzen daraus für das Assessment in quantitativen Studien erwachsen könnten. Auf Grundlage von Verhältnisbestimmungen von deklarativem Fachwissen und prozessorientierten Kompetenzen werden dazu Between- und Within-Item-IRT-Modelle definiert und zur Re-Analyse eines Datensatzes einer Querschnittsstudie zur Variablenkontrollstrategie (n = 990) angewendet. Bei Betrachtung der Personenschätzer für die Kompetenzausprägungen, die aus den Modellen generiert werden, zeigt sich, dass ca. ein Drittel der Schülerinnen und Schüler, je nach Modell, unterschiedlichen Quartilen der Verteilung zugewiesen werden. Gleichzeitig wird deutlich, dass die Modelle zu unterschiedlichen Informationen hinsichtlich der Zunahme an Wissen oder prozessorientierten Kompetenzen über Jahrgänge hinweg wie auch hinsichtlich von Geschlechterunterschieden in der Kompetenzausprägung führen können. Die Ausprägungen prozessorientierter Kompetenzen von Mädchen fallen aufgrund oder vielmehr trotz des (im Mittel) geringeren Fachwissens höher aus, wenn der Psychometrie ein unabhängiges, aber fachwissensrelatives Kompetenzverständnis zugrunde gelegt wird. Der Beitrag diskutiert diese Befunde mit Blick auf Konsequenzen für Grundlagenforschung, Systemmonitoring und Unterrichtsentwicklung

Teaching the control-of-variables strategy: A meta-analysis

A core component of scientific inquiry is the ability to evaluate evidence generated from controlled experiments and then to relate that evidence to a hypothesis or theory. The control-of-variables strategy (CVS) is foundational for school science and scientific literacy, but it does not routinely develop without practice or instruction. This meta-analysis summarizes the findings from 72 intervention studies at least partly designed to increase students\u27 CVS skills. By using the method of robust meta-regression for dealing with multiple effect sizes from single studies, and by excluding outliers, we estimated a mean effect size of g = 0.61 (95% CI = 0.53–0.69). Our moderator analyses focused on design features, student characteristics, instruction characteristics, and assessment features. Only two instruction characteristics – the use of cognitive conflict and the use of demonstrations – were significantly related to student achievement. Furthermore, the format of the assessment instrument was identified as a major source of variability between study outcomes. Implications for teaching and learning science process skills and future research are discussed

Was ist Wissen, was ist Können? Deutungen des Kompetenzbegriffs und deren psychometrische Konsequenzen im Kontext von Fachwissen und Variablenkontrollstrategie

Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht, inwiefern sich verschiedene Deutungen des Kompetenzbegriffs in psychometrische Modelle überführen lassen und welche Konsequenzen daraus für das Assessment in quantitativen Studien erwachsen könnten. Auf Grundlage von Verhältnisbestimmungen von deklarativem Fachwissen und prozessorientierten Kompetenzen werden dazu Between- und Within-Item-IRT-Modelle definiert und zur Re-Analyse eines Datensatzes einer Querschnittsstudie zur Variablenkontrollstrategie (n = 990) angewendet. Bei Betrachtung der Personenschätzer für die Kompetenzausprägungen, die aus den Modellen generiert werden, zeigt sich, dass ca. ein Drittel der Schülerinnen und Schüler, je nach Modell, unterschiedlichen Quartilen der Verteilung zugewiesen werden. Gleichzeitig wird deutlich, dass die Modelle zu unterschiedlichen Informationen hinsichtlich der Zunahme an Wissen oder prozessorientierten Kompetenzen über Jahrgänge hinweg wie auch hinsichtlich von Geschlechterunterschieden in der Kompetenzausprägung führen können. Die Ausprägungen prozessorientierter Kompetenzen von Mädchen fallen aufgrund oder vielmehr trotz des (im Mittel) geringeren Fachwissens höher aus, wenn der Psychometrie ein unabhängiges, aber fachwissensrelatives Kompetenzverständnis zugrunde gelegt wird. Der Beitrag diskutiert diese Befunde mit Blick auf Konsequenzen für Grundlagenforschung, Systemmonitoring und Unterrichtsentwicklung

The (Un)political Perspective on Climate Change in Education — A Systematic Review

Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires foundational changes in societies, politics, and economies. Greater effectiveness has been attributed to actions in the public sphere than to the actions of individuals. However, little is known about how climate literacy programs address the political aspects of mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this systematic literature review is to fill this gap and analyze how public-sphere actions on mitigation and adaptation are discussed in climate literacy programs in schools. Based on database searches following PRISMA guidelines we identified 75 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found that central aspects of climate policy such as the 1.5-degree limit, the IPCC reports, or climate justice are rarely addressed. Whilst responsibility for emissions is attributed to the public sphere, the debate about mitigation usually focuses on the private sphere. Climate change education does not, therefore, correspond to the climate research discourse. We show that effective mitigation and adaptation are based on public-sphere actions and thus conclude that effective climate education should discuss those public actions if it is to be effective. Hence, we propose that climate education should incorporate political literacy to educate climate-literate citizens

The (Un)political Perspective on Climate Change in Education—A Systematic Review

Mitigating and adapting to climate change requires foundational changes in societies, politics, and economies. Greater effectiveness has been attributed to actions in the public sphere than to the actions of individuals. However, little is known about how climate literacy programs address the political aspects of mitigation and adaptation. The aim of this systematic literature review is to fill this gap and analyze how public-sphere actions on mitigation and adaptation are discussed in climate literacy programs in schools. Based on database searches following PRISMA guidelines we identified 75 empirical studies that met our inclusion criteria. We found that central aspects of climate policy such as the 1.5-degree limit, the IPCC reports, or climate justice are rarely addressed. Whilst responsibility for emissions is attributed to the public sphere, the debate about mitigation usually focuses on the private sphere. Climate change education does not, therefore, correspond to the climate research discourse. We show that effective mitigation and adaptation are based on public-sphere actions and thus conclude that effective climate education should discuss those public actions if it is to be effective. Hence, we propose that climate education should incorporate political literacy to educate climate-literate citizens

Politik – der blinde Fleck der Klimabildung

Bildung könnte ein wichtiger Hebel für den Klimaschutz sein. Doch bisherigen Ansätze verlagern die Verantwortung oft aufs Individuum statt junge Menschen klimapolitisch zu ermächtigen. In einem Gastbeitrag analysieren Johanna Kranz, Martin Schwichow, Petra Breitenmoser und Kai Niebert die gravierendsten Schwachstellen – und empfehlen fünf Schritte für eine bessere Umwelt- und Klimabildung