Communicating the climate emergency - EDU00121M

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Module summary

The climate emergency is one of the most pressing challenges facing society today and whilst there is global demand for climate change education and communication, this is more often found in regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change rather than those responsible for the largest historical emissions of greenhouse gases.

Education and communication play a critical role in helping people to understand climate change, become aware of the risks, change behaviour, and ultimately promote stronger societal and policy responses to the climate crisis. The demands of climate mitigation and adaptation require us to think and communicate beyond discrete subject disciplines to a wide range of audiences across a variety of mediums.

In this module students will critically evaluate a range of approaches to formal and non-formal climate change communication and education. Through evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of approaches students will reflect on how climate change education and communication can meet the needs of the future.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

This module aims to equip students with a range of approaches to climate change education and communication. Students will be introduced to the key subject, pedagogical and communication knowledge, skills and attitudes required for effective communication and education on the climate emergency. Through a critical reflection of, and participation in, a range of educational approaches students will consider the future of climate change education and its role in addressing the climate emergency.

Module learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the key subject knowledge required for climate change education and communication.
• Critically evaluate a range of approaches to climate education and assess to what extent these are meeting the needs of people and the planet, with attention to spatial and temporal inequalities.
• Use literature, digital media and other appropriate sources to examine new and emerging approaches to climate change education.
• Apply educational practices that are personal, meaningful and relevant to the intended audiences to instil hope through action.

Graduate skills:

• Communicate ideas and concepts to a wider audience.
• Critical thinking, analysis and reflection skills.
• Oral and written communication skills.
• Autonomy and time management.
• Research and information literacy.
• Ability to reflect on individual and group learning.

Module content

The module will be taught through lectures and workshops. There will be regular reading and activities that students will be expected to engage with and critically discuss. Students will have the opportunity to participate in multiple climate educational approaches and critically evaluate these.

Indicative content:

• Fundamental subject knowledge required to educate and communicate climate change and common myths and misconceptions.
• The IPCC reports and the role of scenarios to communicate possible climate futures.
• Interdisciplinary approaches to using models for climate change communication and education.
• The role of citizen science in climate change education.
• Climate change narratives.
• Experiential activities to support climate change education.
• Solutions-focused learning and its role in climate action.
• Gamification of climate change education.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The conference poster will be marked using the rubric for MA programmes, with guidance on how argument and analysis can be demonstrated in conference posters (e.g. using graphic organisers) and access to exemplar conference posters.

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Individual written feedback reports, with follow-up tutor meeting, if necessary. The feedback is returned to students in line with university policy. Please check the Guide to Assessment, Standards, Marking and Feedback for more information.

Indicative reading

Andreotti, V. D. O. (2021). The task of education as we confront the potential for social and ecological collapse. Ethics and Education, 16(2), 143-158.

Cook, J. (2022). Cranky Uncle. https://crankyuncle.com/

Cripps, E. (2022). What Climate Justice Means and Why We Should Care. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Etchart, L. The role of indigenous peoples in combating climate change. Palgrave Commun 3, 17085 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1057/palcomms.2017.85

Mann, M. E. (2021). The new climate war: The fight to take back our planet. Hachette UK.

Monroe, M. C., Plate, R. R., Oxarart, A., Bowers, A., & Chaves, W. A. (2019). Identifying effective climate change education strategies: A systematic review of the research. Environmental Education Research, 25(6), 791-812. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2017.1360842

Ramanathan, V. (2019). Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions Digital Textbook. https://escholarship.org/uc/bending_the_curve_digital_textbook

Robinson, M. (2019). Climate Justice. London: Bloomsbury.

Rousell, D., & Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, A. (2020). A systematic review of climate change education: Giving children and young people a ‘voice’ and a ‘hand’ in redressing climate change. Children's Geographies, 18(2), 191-208. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2019.1614532

Stoknes, P. E. (2015). What we think about when we try not to think about global warming: Toward a new psychology of climate action. Chelsea Green Publishing.