Inside Education 426, Mark Windschitl on Teaching the Science of Climate Change (12-12-22)

Presented and produced by Seán Delaney On this podcast I spoke to Professor Mark Windschitl from the University of Washington about teaching science and especially the science of climate change. As usual with these podcasts we covered a wide range of topics, including the following: What core practices are in teacher education (e.g. teachers need to elicit ideas students already have about the topic being taught). Why, although important, there is much more to teaching than core practices, such as developing respectful and trusting relationships with students. As teachers gain experience, they add nuance and flexibility to the core practices. What ambitious science teaching is: willingness to constantly improve one’s practice, to take risks to improve their practice and to base changes on students’ response to their teaching. The need for a teacher pursuing ambitious science teaching to understand topics (e.g. the greenhouse effect) in great depth, with flexibility, and connected to children’s everyday lives. The biggest ideas in biology that can be taught in a second-level school setting (e.g. how ecosystems function in the world). Trees extend their roots out to other trees and can cause chemical changes in other trees. Selecting candidates for teaching science and engaging in ambitious science teaching How the impact of testing in schools shapes the curriculum. The importance of academically productive discourse in the classroom about science ideas. Productive talk in a classroom is a process of sense-making and meaning making. The need for teachers to have models of ambitious science teaching that is relevant to the setting in which they teach. How to teach children the science of climate change without elevating eco-anxiety. Why solutions need to be threaded into the teaching of climate change The importance of understanding the greenhouse effect and why understanding that is not enough (the need to know about ecosystems, the oceans, the cryosphere – the frozen parts of the earth, and tipping points) The scale of climate change phenomena The idea of “carbon footprint” was introduced by a petroleum company (BP) What schools can do to mitigate the effects of climate change (e.g. making Prom night – the Debs – greener) Plastics pollution is different to climate change but both are connected in many students’ minds Students being exposed to sceptical points of view in some areas. Although such perspectives need to be managed carefully, sceptical views might not be as big a problem as we would expect. It may help to focus on the science of the greenhouse effect. The challenge of beef production as part of the climate change discussion The difficulty of conveying the scale of climate change Finding and evaluating climate change data – the challenge of media literacy. Among the known reputable outlets he identifies are: NASA, NOAA, WHO, and the UN. The importance of having a reason when sharing data about climate change. Assessing students’ knowledge of climate change How he became interested in education research How he conducts his research to find out how novice teachers become “well-started beginners” Helping novice teachers use agency to move beyond reproducing someone else’s teaching How he finds time to write – bringing a notebook with him when going out for a stroll and doing 14 versions of an article before it’s ready for publication Who research in education is for and how does it influence practice in education? Is it through instructional coaches? School leaders? Having children do well-structured work in small groups (that is equitable and rigorous) in class, at least part of the time, is hugely beneficial for their learning. Productive academic discourse in science is difficult to find in classrooms in the Unites States. Another research question is why technology failed to deliver for education during COVID Why schools and the communities around them should have porous boundaries The value of a teacher