school management
which the school is situated . Authenticity of learning is key .
Positive change
Now is the perfect time to reassess climate in the classroom .
By Olli-Pekka Heinonen
As COP 26 in the UK concentrated minds around the world on the impending climate crisis late last year , the thoughts of educators turn to developing the climate citizens of tomorrow .
Developing a generation of citizens capable of the type of thinking we need if the catastrophe is to be averted is partly the responsibility of today ’ s schools , teachers and educators .
But we must also see ourselves as responsible for encouraging activism in our students . For many young people , tackling the potential environmental catastrophe is a huge motivation – inspired by the likes of Greta Thunberg – but others worry that there is nothing they can do .
This often manifests itself outwardly as cynicism .
It is , at least in part , the role of schools and educators to nurture the former – the idea of students as actors in this hugely important story – while encouraging those who feel that they are helpless to see instead that they can be the agents of change .
Educationists will never meet the awesome responsibility of helping to arrest this crisis unless we step back and take a moment to work out the curriculum and assessment model we need for this challenge . Therefore , it ’ s vital for Australia ’ s schools and teachers within them to be given the relevant educational tools to support the task we are asking of them .
Interdisciplinary learning – and transdisciplinary learning – is a key part of this toolkit and problems of this magnitude simply cannot be solved through one lens . But teaching and learning must also be based on a cycle of inquiry , action and reflection , with prominence given to active participation .
The future of curriculum design must focus on three areas to ensure the next generation is ready to tackle climate change head on :
A CURRICULUM THAT IS DESIGNED WITH THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGE IN MIND Sustainability must be a key feature of courses and disciplines . This includes the natural sciences , geography , design technology , economics , and business management , but others too . We advocate for a sustainable planet and ask students to consider how the relationship between people , planet and growth is central to this .
PRIORITISE EDUCATION IN ACTION Curricula in the future must foster an organic link between in-classroom learning and sustainable action in the community , so that students support sustainability in practical ways . Future programs must contextualise learning with the time , place and community within in
FOSTER YOUNG PEOPLE AS ‘ AGENTS OF CHANGE ’ Curriculum and pedagogy should inspire learners , as global citizens , to make a difference and contribute to society . We must promote the importance of “ principled action ” in terms of making responsible choices and exploring the ethical dimension of decisions to act or not to act . Students must be encouraged to explore issues in a way that empowers them to be not just aware , but engaged . They must be encouraged to explore their own agency – what they themselves can do to make the change we need , on both a global scale and locally .
Climate change is a global challenge and citizens of tomorrow will need to apply systems thinking , understanding the interconnectedness of the elements within Earth ’ s systems , through a universal lens .
The curriculum of the future needs to create opportunities for learners to inquire about , and contribute their voice to , the future of humanity .
It should allow young people to make connections between subjects and disciplines . It should also create opportunities for them to connect their values and passions to the communities that surround them .
Too narrow an approach to curriculums and assessment based on local perspectives and a growing obsession with standardised testing risks limiting the problem-solving potential of this next generation of climate citizens .
Throughout history , schools and teachers have evolved to tackle many of the problems facing human society . As we stand on the precipice of the biggest problem yet , the climate emergency , it ’ s time for education to pivot again .
Never has education been more vital as a force for positive change . Learning must inspire and empower the next generation to tackle climate change head on . We need today ’ s young people to become the activists we know they can be , rather than the cynics that they risk becoming .
The future of our planet could depend on it . ■
Olli-Pekka Heinonen is the director general of the International Baccalaureate Organisation ( IB ).
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