New insights into pupils' perceptions of climate change published
Prof. Claudia Haagen-Schützenhöfer (University of Graz) together with Sarah Wildbichler (University of Innsbruck, first author) and Thomas Schubatzky (University of Innsbruck) recently published their article "Students' ideas about the scientific underpinnings of climate change: a systematic review of the literature" in the high-ranking journal Studies in Science Education.
The journal is one of the leading publication media (Q1) in the field of science education, with an acceptance rate of 3%, which underlines the quality of the accepted contribution. The publication "Students' ideas about the scientific underpinnings of climate change: a systematic review of the literature" was produced as part of a cooperation project with the University of Innsbruck.
The systematic review analyzed 44 peer-reviewed studies from the last ten years, after a total of 579 articles were screened. The review study provides a comprehensive analysis of how students understand key scientific concepts of climate change, such as the greenhouse effect and the carbon cycle. It shows that many of these ideas are incomplete or incorrect. This is particularly relevant for educational research, as a sound understanding of these concepts is crucial to empowering students to make informed decisions and take action on climate change. The results are an important step towards further developing teaching materials and teaching methods in a targeted way to educate a generation that is better prepared for the challenges of climate change.
Related publication
At the end of August, Claudia Haagen-Schützenhöfer and her research group published an article on a related topic that highlights the shortcomings. "How Well Do German A-Level Students Understand the Scientific Underpinnings of Climate Change?" by Thomas Schubatzky, Rainer Wackermann, Claudia Haagen-Schützenhöfer and Carina Wöhlke was published in the renowned journal Sustainability. This study, which was also conducted in close cooperation with the University of Innsbruck, sheds light on the gaps in the knowledge of German high school graduates with regard to the scientific foundations of climate change. The results of the study have important implications for education policy and science teaching. They highlight the need to establish climate change as an integral part of the curriculum and to design science education in such a way that students can develop a deep and critical understanding. This is not only crucial for the education of future scientists and decision-makers, but also for strengthening society's ability to make informed decisions regarding climate change. The study thus makes an important contribution to promoting climate and environmental awareness on a broad societal level.
