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Description
The aim is to establish climate change education at all levels (from kindergarten to gymnasium) of general education in Estonia: developing education strategies, creating learning materials and supporting teachers. There are apparent gaps in climate change education in Estonia, and the developed education strategies and materials would help fill these gaps. Educational institutions covering various education levels will be involved from different subregions of Estonia to reach at least ten thousand students and teachers. Educating teachers and students would translate to increased climate change awareness in Estonian society in general.
Information is exchanged in work seminars, the output is a list of climate competences and recommendations for curriculum renewal and the choice of teaching strategies, an educational program that would approach climate change, its mitigation and adaptation teaching in a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary manner.
An important educational material will be created: “ABC of Climate Change,” explaining the causes and impacts of climate change and climate change mitigation and adaptation options.
By mapping the used teaching strategies an analysis will be carried out (by education levels) to determine which teaching methods are currently used, also occured failures and problems are analysed.
Evidence-based teaching strategies are described to help to teach scientific concepts more efficiently (f.e climate change mitigation and adaptation). When creating learning methods, misconceptions and misunderstandings related to the topics, confirmation bias, cultural ideologies, psychosocial and ethical aspects are taken into account. Selecting topics that have significant impact but lack teaching resources or need improvement. Already existing innovative learning tools, which could have a significantly wider user base, can become the learning tools selected for the project. Teacher manuals are created if necessary.
Summary of project results
As climate change poses high risks to many natural and human systems, we need to act to reduce these risks. Currently, in Estonia, we lack the appropriate education which stroncly limits the effectiveness of climate action.
The project improved the competences necessary for climate change mitigation and adaptation through climate change education in Estonia. With this project education strategies were created, learning materials and with those also support to teachers was provided to establish climate change education at all education levels in Estonia.
A study material called "ABC of climate change" has been created with this project: https://kliimatarkused.ut.ee/kliimamuutuste-abc/ This material can be used by teachers of all levels of education (from kindergarten to gymnasium). Teachers have been supported by trainings on how to use these materials in their everyday work (teaching children). This project is like a foundation to climate education for future generations.
Summary of bilateral results
Initially, the planned cooperation with the donor partner was mainly in the field of evaluation, but when starting substantive cooperation with partners, the main focus became the development of educational materials.