>> GOOD EVENING.
I'M BRUCE MORAVCHIK.
WELCOME TO THE NOAA CLIMATE
STEWARDS AUGUST WEBINAR,
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION:
BRIDGING "LEARNING TO KNOW"
AND"LEARNING TO DO."
THIS EVENING OUR PRESENTER
IS KRISTEN POPPLETON, THE
EDUCATION DIRECTOR FOR
CLIMATE GENERATION: A WILL
STEGER LEGACY.
CLIMATE GENERATION IS A
MINNESOTA-BASED NONPROFIT
FOCUSED ON EDUCATING AND
EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO ENGAGE
IN SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.
IN HER ROLE, SHE PROVIDES
THE VISION FOR THE
EDUCATION PROGRAM AND
COLLABORATES WITH LOCAL,
NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERS ON CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT, PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FOR EDUCATORS
AND OTHER RESOURCES FOCUSED
ON CLIMATE LITERACY.
IN ADDITION TO HER WORK
WITH CLIMATE GENERATION,
KRISTEN HAS TAUGHT A
GRADUATE COURSE OVERCOMING
CLIMATE MISCONCEPTIONS AT
HAMLINE UNIVERSITY, SERVED
AS A CURATOR FOR NGSS
RESOURCES FOR THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION, AND IS AN
ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CLEAN
NETWORK.
KRISTEN WAS RECENTLY
APPOINTED TO NOAA'S
ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE
SUSTAINED NATIONAL CLIMATE
ASSESSMENT TO PROVIDE
RECOMMENDATIONS ON NOAA'S
SUSTAINED CLIMATE
ACTIVITIES AND PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING ENGAGEMENT OF
STAKEHOLDERS.
SHE HOLDS A B.A.
IN BIOLOGY
AND HISPANIC STUDIES FROM
ST. OLAF COLLEGE, A MASTERS
IN EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
DULUTH AND A MASTERS OF
SCIENCE IN CONSERVATION
BIOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO
TURN IT OVER TO KRISTEN.
IT IS YOURS.
>> THANKS, BRUCE I LOVE
YOUR PRONUNCIATION OF ST.
OLAF, LIKE YOU'RE FROM
MINNESOTA OR SOMETHING.
WELL DONE, WELL DONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH,
AND I'M HONORED TO JOIN YOU
ALL HERE THIS EVENING.
APOLOGIES, I'VE GOT MY
WATER NEXT TO ME, BUT I
HAVE BEEN READING "HARRY
POTTER: THE CURSED CHILD"
OUT LOUD FOR THE PAST 36
HOURS WITH MY CHILDREN AND
I'M A LITTLE HOARSE.
WE'RE NOT DONE YET, BUT I
CAN TELL YOU IT'S AWESOME.
THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO
SAY.
I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE
THIS EVENING TO CHAT WITH
YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I
GET TO THINK ABOUT A LOT,
WHAT IS TRULY BEST PRACTICE
IN CLIMATE CHANGE
EDUCATION.
AND I'M LUCKY BECAUSE IN MY
JOB, AS DIRECTOR OF
EDUCATION FOR A NONPROFIT
THAT FOCUSES SPECIFICALLY
ON CLIMATE CHANGE, I GET TO
THINK ABOUT THIS.
I GET TO DISCUSS IT WITH
AWESOME COLLEAGUES LIKE
BRUCE.
I GET TO READ THE RESEARCH
THAT'S OUT THERE.
BUT I ALSO GET TO TEST IT
OUT AND IMPLEMENT IT WITH
STUDENTS, WITH TEACHERS,
WITH ADULT LEARNERS.
AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO
SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING
IS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE
ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN
LEARNING, WHAT'S GOING ON
OUT THERE IN THE FIELD
RIGHT NOW.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT
HELPFUL.
AND I HOPE THAT THERE'S
SOME REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS
THAT YOU STICK TO ME AT
SOME POINT TOO THAT I HAVE
A REALLY HARD TIME
ANSWERING OR I CAN ANSWER
DO HELP ME OUT IN THE
FUTURE.
SO WITH THAT, THIS EVENING,
JUST A LITTLE QUICK
OVERVIEW.
I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE
WITH YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHO, WHERE I'M COMING
FROM, WHO IS CLIMATE
GENERATION: A WILL STEGER
LEGACY, THE ORGANIZATION I
WORK FOR.
WHY SHOULD WE DO CLIMATE
CHANGE EDUCATION, WHICH I'M
SURE MANY OF YOU COME TO
THIS WITH THOUGHTS ON THAT
ALREADY.
AND HOW SHOULD WE DO
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION?
SO, TO KICK THINGS OFF,
CLIMATE GENERATION: A WILL
STEGER LEGACY IS BASED HERE
IN MINNESOTA, IN
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.
OUR ORIGINS ARE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE WERE FOUNDED BY
A POLAR EXPLORER NAMED WILL
STEGER.
WILL, WHO IS STILL AROUND,
HAS TRAVELED THE POLAR
REGIONS FOR OVER 50 YEARS,
AND REALLY DURING THAT TIME
BECAME AN EYEWITNESS TO THE
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND THIS STORY, HIS STORY
REALLY IS THE FOUNDATION OF
WHAT WE DO AND A
RECOGNITION ALSO IN THE
POWER OF NARRATIVE AND THE
POWER OF STORY IS SOMETHING
THAT REALLY GUIDES OUR
WORK.
WILL ESTABLISHED US IN
2006, A FEW YEARS AFTER
READING ON THE FRONT PAGE
OF THE PAPER THAT THE
LARSEN B.
ICE SHELF HAD
CRUMBLED INTO THE OCEAN.
THIS WAS SORT OF HIS CALL
TO ACTION.
HE HAD ACTUALLY TRAVERSED
ANTARCTICA, THE LONGEST
CROSSING EVER, BY DOG SLED
AND LARSEN B.
HAD TAKEN HIM
A MONTH TO CROSS.
SO IT WAS SOMETHING THAT
HIT HIM VERY PERSONALLY.
AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME
WE WEREN'T REALLY AWARE OF
THESE CHANGES THAT WERE
OCCURRING QUITE AS MUCH
HERE IN THE MIDDLE PART OF
THE PLANET AS MUCH AS ON
THE POLES.
UNFORTUNATELY
ALL OF US CAN PROBABLY TELL
STORIES OR HAVE BEEN
WITNESS OURSELVES.
AND THAT STORY, IS KIND OF
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
GUIDES US NOW.
OUR ORGANIZATION, AS BRUCE
MENTIONED, EDUCATES AND
EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO ENGAGE
IN SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.
AND WE HAVE TWO PROGRAMMING
AREAS WITH POLICIES SORT OF
RUNNING THROUGHOUT.
AN EMERGING LEADERS
PROGRAM, WHICH WORKS WITH
YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE TWIN
CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA,
REALLY MENTORING AND
ENCOURAGING, EMPOWERING
THEM TO ENGAGE IN SOLUTIONS
IN THEIR SCHOOLS, ACTION
PROJECTS AS WELL AS
ORGANIZING AND INFORMING
POLICY.
AND THEN OUR EDUCATION
PROGRAM WHICH I DIRECT,
I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT.
WE ALSO WORKED LITTLE BIT
IN THE AREA OF POLICY
THROUGHOUT OUR STATE,
SPECIFICALLY, WORKING WITH
CLEAN-ENERGY POLICY.
THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED
HERE.
SO OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM
WORKS WITH EDUCATORS.
WE WORK WITH STUDENTS.
WE WORK WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT KIND OF THE
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK THAT
GUIDES US.
THE RESOURCES THAT WE
PROVIDE ARE SCIENCE-BASED.
THEY'RE INTERDISCIPLINARY,
AND THEY'RE REALLY FOCUSED
ON IMPLICATIONS AND
SOLUTIONS.
I ALSO, AS WE HAVE MOVED
THROUGH WITH OUR
ORGANIZATION, WE RECOGNIZE
THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITY IN
THE WORK THAT WE DO.
THAT CLIMATE CHANGE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND
LOW-IMPACT COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT
EDUCATION BECAUSE THERE IS
SOME MAJOR INEQUITIES IN
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
AND A WELL-RECOGNIZED
ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN THE AREA
OF STEM.
AND THIS REALLY HAS BECOME
IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK AT THE
RESOURCES WE PROVIDE, WE
LOOK AT THE MESSAGES THAT
WE DEVELOP.
AS WE WORK THROUGH OUR
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WORK, WE
REALLY STRIVE TO LISTEN AND
ELEVATE VOICES THAT ARE
UNDERREPRESENTED.
AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S
NOT FAIR, BUT BECAUSE WE
BELIEVE THAT THESE
NARRATIVES THAT ARE MISSING
ACTUALLY WILL HELP US
REALLY ENGAGE IN BETTER
SOLUTIONS AND GREATER
SOLUTIONS.
WE ALSO PARTNER WITH
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
WORKING ON EQUITY.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE TEACH
CLIMATE CHANGE, WE KNOW
WHAT KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL
PRACTICE ACTUALLY IS
ENGAGING FOR ALL LEARNERS,
AND WE LOOK TO PRACTICE
SUCH AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR
K-12 SCIENCE EDUCATION AND
HANDS-ON LEARNING.
OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM WORKS
WITH PEOPLE IN VARIETIES OF
DEPTH.
WE START WITH OUR EDUCATION
AMBASSADOR WHICH REALLY
JUST ENGAGES ABOUT EIGHT
EDUCATORS A YEAR; TO OUR
MONTHLY NEWSPAPER WHICH
GOES OUT TO 5,000
INDIVIDUALS.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME OF
YOU JOIN IN AS WELL.
OUR PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT THAT WE PROVIDE
COMES IN THE FORM OF
WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS.
WE JUST PUT ON OUR 11th
ANNUAL SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION.
AND AS I MENTIONED, OUR
EDUCATION AMBASSADOR
PROGRAM.
OUR SUMMER INSTITUTE REALLY
HAS BEEN THE PINNACLE OF
OUR PROGRAM.
WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IT ON
FOR 11 YEARS AND HAVE THE
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
SOME GOOD SPEAKERS COME IN,
PROVIDING SOME PRETTY
INTENSE RESOURCES.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT WHEN WE
DID IT ON LINE, BRUCE
JOINED US A COUPLE YEARS
BACK.
AND WE'VE HAD TEACHERS FROM
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
THIS YEAR'S INSTITUTE
FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE
STANDARDS AND OUR NEWEST
MIDDLE SCHOOL RESOURCE
WHICH USED THOSE STANDARDS
AS A FRAMEWORK.
AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE AN
EDUCATION AMBASSADOR
PROGRAM WHICH WE'D LOVE TO
INVITE ANYONE ON THIS
WEBINAR AND EVERYONE YOU
KNOW TO APPLY FOR.
IT COMES OFF A VERY
SUCCESSFUL VENTURE LAST
YEAR WITH EDUCATION
AMBASSADORS WHERE WE WERE
ABLE TO REALLY PROVIDE
ONE- ON-ONE SUPPORT FROM
OUR STAFF, LOOKING AT
RESOURCES, INFORMATION,
IDEAS, PROVIDING WEBINARS.
LAST YEAR'S EDUCATION
AMBASSADORS WERE PART OF
OUR OUR WINDOW INTO PARIS
PROGRAM.
UNFORTUNATELY, THESE
AMBASSADORS, WE WON'T BE TO
PARIS THIS YEAR.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT THAT, I CAN BE
IN TOUCH WITH YOU LATER.
OUR ORGANIZATION HAS A
SUITE OF CURRICULA
RESOURCES, AND THESE ARE
ALL FREE TO DOWNLOAD FROM
OUR WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY
EXPERTS, FIELD TESTED.
THEY'RE SCIENCE-BASED, AND
YOU CAN FIND THEM ALL AT
CLIMATEGEN.ORG/EDUCATION.
WE ALSO, AS I MENTIONED,
WORKED IN THE REALM OF
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS.
OUR MOST RECENT PROJECT HAS
BEEN THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OF MINNESOTA WORKING WITH
CITIZENS, ENGAGING THEM IN
CONVENINGS THAT FOCUSED ON
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN A
VERY LOCAL, VERY SPECIFIC
REGIONALIZED SENSE BUT ALSO
ON THE STORIES OF
INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT WERE
ENGAGED EITHER IN SOLUTIONS
OR HAD BEEN PART OF WHAT
THIS IMPACTS.
THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT
FOR THESE CONVENINGS, THE
STORIES THAT WERE TOLD
WE'VE NOW SORT OF PACKAGED
AND WE'RE BRINGING BACK TO
THESE COMMUNITIES TO MEET
WITH LEGISLATORS AND DOING
SOME LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION
WITH THEM BRINGING IN THE
STORYTELLERS TO MEET WITH
THEIR POLICY MAKERS TO
SHARE WHY CLIMATE CHANGE
IS IMPORTANT TO THEM AND
WHY THEY THINK IT SHOULD BE
EMBEDDED IN MINNESOTA'S
CLEAN ENERGY POLICY.
AS I MENTIONED, WE DO
CONVENINGS THROUGHOUT THE
STATE.
WE ALSO HAVE A COLLECTION
OF STORIES IN A TELEVISION
PRODUCTION THAT LOOKS AT
HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTED
MINNESOTA.
IT'S A GREAT MODEL FOR
LOOKING AT THE ISSUE FROM
THE VERY SPACE-BASED
PERSPECTIVE.
SO THAT'S A QUICK OVERVIEW
OF MY ORGANIZATION THAT I
WORK FOR.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE
ABOUT THAT.
IF THERE ARE
ANY AT THIS POINT,
I WILL PAUSE BRIEFLY AND
BRUCE WILL LET ME KNOW IF
THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
>> IT LOOKS PRETTY CLEAR,
KRISTEN.
>> GREAT.
THANKS, BRUCE.
THANKS.
NOW WE GET INTO THE PART OF
THE PRESENTATION THINKING
ABOUT WHY CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO, AS MOST PEOPLE ON THIS
CALL WOULD PROBABLY AGREE,
CLIMATE CHANGE IS TRULY THE
MOST RELEVANT, THE MOST
PRESSING ISSUE THAT FACES
THE WORLD TODAY.
AND I PUT AN EMPHASIS ON
THAT ISSUE.
IT DOESN'T SAY
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE.
IT'S ISSUE.
IT'S, OF ALL ISSUES,
CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALL
ENCOMPASSING.
IT TOUCHES ON THE
POLITICAL, THE ECONOMIC,
THE SOCIAL REALMS.
IN SCIENTIFIC, IT IS
SOCIAL.
IT IMPACTS PEOPLE AT ALL
LEVELS OF SOCIETY.
AND IT ALSO IMPACTS
SOLUTION-WISE, I THINK, ALL
LEVELS OF SOCIETY WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT IT.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ALL
STUDENTS AND ALL ADULT
LEARNERS HAVE TO BE
PREPARED TO MITIGATE.
THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED TO
ADAPT.
AND THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW
TO UNLEARN AND LEARN AGAIN,
WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHERE
INNOVATION RISES FROM.
AND WE NEED SOME OF THESE
FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO WORK,
ENFORCING THE POLICIES THAT
ARE BEING SET TODAY.
THERE IS A GREAT NEED IN
OUR WORKFORCE, AND THERE
ARE GREAT DIVERSE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT
THERE, AND IT IS OUR JOB TO
REALLY PREPARE ALL LEARNERS
FOR THE FUTURE AND THE
TODAY, I WOULD ARGUE.
AND I WANTED TO, BEFORE
GOING ANY FURTHER DOWN THE
LINE, TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD THAT
BRIDGING LEARNING TO KNOW
AND LEARNING TO DO IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT I JUST MADE
UP.
IT CAME FROM AN ARTICLE
THAT I'M QUITE SMITTEN WITH
THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS BY
PHILIP VAUGHTER.
IT CAME
TO ME VIA MY GRADUATE
SCHOOL.
HE'S A GREAT GRADUATE OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY
PROGRAM AND HAS MOVED ON
FROM THERE.
AND SINCE IT CAME TO ME
FROM THERE, IT'S ACTUALLY
COME TO ME A NUMBER OF
TIMES FROM OTHER FOLKS THAT
ARE IN THE FIELD, IN
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION,
CLIMATE LITERACY.
A LOT OF FOLKS ARE
DISCUSSING IT.
BUT THIS IDEA OF BRIDGING
LEARNING TO KNOW AND
LEARNING TO DO IS SOMETHING
I THINK MANY OF US HAVE
FELT IS THE BEST WAY BUT
HAVEN'T QUITE BEEN SO
ARTICULATE IN DESCRIBING
IT.
AND SO IN THIS ARTICLE,
VAUGHTER DESCRIBES THREE
THINGS WHICH I THINK ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT DOING THIS.
THIS IDEA FIRST OF LEARNING
TO KNOW AND LEARNING TO DO
AND MAKING THAT BRIDGE.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW
AND WHAT THAT MEANS AS WE
GO THROUGH THIS.
HIS SECOND RECOMMENDATION,
SCHOOLS AS LIVING LABS --
PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH,
THE IDEA OF MAKING CLIMATE
CHANGE RELEVANT OFTEN
INVOLVES THIS IDEA OF PLACE
AND USING THE PLACES WHERE
WE ARE.
IT ALSO IS A DIRECT LINK TO
THE BRIDGE BETWEEN LEARNING
TO KNOW AND LEARNING TO DO.
AND THEN HIS NEXT
RECOMMENDATION REALLY IS
LOOKING AT HAVING A BIG
FOCUS I THINK ON THE K-12
REALM, BUT ADULTS NEED TO
BE ALSO A PART OF THE
EDUCATION FRAME WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE
EDUCATED.
AND I THINK REALLY THE MOST
COMPELLING PIECE OF THIS
ARTICLE THAT HE BRINGS OUT
AND HAS KIND OF ADAPTED
HERE IS THIS IDEA OF AN
ACTION COMPETENCE LEARNING
PROCESS.
AND I THINK, LET'S TAKE
JUST A MINUTE TO LOOK AT
THIS.
THERE'S A LOT TO LOOK AT.
IT MIGHT REMIND YOU OF
OTHER CYCLES YOU WORKED
WITH, MAYBE THE ENGINEERING
DESIGN CYCLE.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO
THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER.
BUT THE OVERLYING MESSAGE
HERE IS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE
EDUCATION IS NOT SIMPLY
ABOUT PROVIDING KNOWLEDGE.
IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT
PRACTICING CRITICAL
THINKING SKILLS.
BUT IT'S ABOUT MAKING SOME
DEEPER CONNECTIONS WITH THE
LEARNER AND THE WORLD
AROUND THEM AND HELPING TO
DEEPEN THEIR CAPACITY TO
TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE
CHANGE.
AND I THINK A LOT OF US
SOMETIMES ARE AFRAID WHEN
WE HEAR THIS WORD ACTION,
ACTION IS THE SOLUTION THAT
RESONATES WITH THE LEARNER
WHICH COMES OUT OF THEIR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUE.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY
MEAN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
ACTION.
AN ACTION COULD ACTUALLY BE
THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
OF SOME SORT OF ADAPTATION
MECHANISM.
IT COULD BE AN EDUCATIONAL
INITIATIVE.
BUT WHAT RESONATES AND
COMES OUT OF THAT LEARNER
WHEN THEY'VE GONE THROUGH
THIS DEEP LEARNING PROCESS
OF CLIMATE CHANGE
EDUCATION -- OF THE ISSUE
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND I THINK THAT IF AND I
THINK THAT IF WE DON'T MAKE
THIS ISSUE RESONATE AND
DEEPEN WITH THE LEARNER, IT
EITHER, IT'S TOO SCARY
BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
REALLY OUTFITTED WITH THE
SKILLS OR THE IDEA THAT
THEY CAN MAKE CHANGE.
SO THE CITIZENSHIP SKILLS
AND THE THINGS THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO THIS IS, I THINK, A
GREAT WAY TO BE THINKING
ABOUT THIS.
KEEP IN THE BACK OF YOUR
MIND -- WE'LL GO BACK TO IT
ACTUALLY -- AS I GO THROUGH
THE NEXT PART OF WHAT I
HAVE TO SAY, BUT EMBEDDED
IN WHAT I'M SHARING LATER
ON HERE AS WELL AS WE THINK
ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD BE
DOING IT, THAT OF COURSE IS
PART OF IT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME
OTHER PRINCIPLES THAT I
FIND TO BE PRETTY ESSENTIAL
WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATIONAL
CONTENT, DELIVERY, AND
ENGAGING LEARNERS AROUND
THE ISSUE.
SO THE FIRST, OF COURSE, IS
THAT IT IS SCIENCE BASED.
AND THERE IS A NUMBER OF
THINGS I THINK THAT ARE
IMPORTANT.
ONE OF THEM, THE FIRST
THING THAT I HAVE POINTED
OUT HERE IS THIS 97%
CONSENSUS.
NOW THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU
KNOW, IMPORTANT FACTOIDS
AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE.
RECENT RESEARCH HAS COME
OUT, HAS SHOWN THAT THERE
IS A DIRECT CORRELATION
BETWEEN THE IDEA, BETWEEN
INDIVIDUALS THAT DO NOT
NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE'S A CONSENSUS.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'S
MANY PEOPLE THAT DO NOT
KNOW THIS.
AND THEIR SUPPORT IN
CLIMATE SCIENCE.
AND WHEN THERE IS AN
UNDERSTANDING, A
REALIZATION THAT THERE IS A
CONSENSUS, TEACHERS,
STUDENTS TEND TO START
SUBSCRIBING MORE TO THE
CLIMATE SCIENCE PIECE.
SO THIS PARTICULAR FACTOID
ACTUALLY IS ONE OF THE ONES
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
OF COURSE USING
PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES AND
REPORTS AS A FOUNDATION FOR
YOUR RESOURCES, PARTNERING
WITH SCIENTIFIC
INSTITUTIONS BRINGING IN
SCIENTISTS OF DIFFERENT,
FROM DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES,
AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE
THAT SORT OF BODY OF
EVIDENCE, THE FINGERPRINTS
ON CLIMATE CHANGE IS WHAT
SOME PEOPLE SAY, AND HAVING
RELATIONSHIP AND ADVISORS
IN CLIMATE SCIENCE.
THIS IS SOMETHING I TELL MY
TEACHERS AT EVERY
INSTITUTE.
WE ARE SUPER LUCKY TO BE
ABLE TO BRING IN SCIENTISTS
FROM OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITIES
FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR
INSTITUTES.
AND NONE OF THEM WILL TAKE
A PENNY FROM US.
THESE ARE TIRELESS CLIMATE
WARRIORS -- I WILL SAY
THIS -- AND THERE ARE SO
MANY CLIMATE SCIENTISTS OUT
THERE AND SCIENTISTS THAT
ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH
YOU.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK.
GIVE THEM A CALL.
SO IF YOU'RE AN EDUCATOR
THAT'S IN AN AREA THAT HAS
RESEARCHERS, IF YOU'RE IN A
RURAL AREA, OFTENTIMES
THERE'S FIELD STATIONS; IF
YOU'RE IN THE CITY, THERE'S
GENERALLY UNIVERSITIES OR
COMMUNITY COLLEGES, BUT
HAVE THEM COME IN AND TALK
TO YOUR STUDENTS OR GO AND
ASK THEM A QUESTION IF
SOMETHING'S CONFUSING YOU.
THE SECOND PRINCIPLE I
THINK THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT OF COURSE IS THAT
CLIMATE CHANGE IS
INTERDISCIPLINARY.
AND I BROUGHT THIS UP
BEFORE.
FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE
SORT OF THE ROSY GLASSES ON
THE WORLD, CLIMATE CHANGE
IS LIKE THE PERFECT
PROBLEM.
IT'S THE MOST EXCITING
THING TO BE ABLE TO TEACH
ABOUT.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
ANYTHING.
YOU CAN CONNECT IT -- I
ALWAYS CHALLENGE PEOPLE TO
SAY ASK ME HOW I THINK, CAN
I CLIMATE CHANGE THAT,
BECAUSE IT'S CONNECTED TO
THE WORLD.
AND THERE'S REALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY, AS I'M SAYING,
BUT ALSO A NEED FOR THERE
TO BE COLLABORATION WHEN
TEACHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE
THE CAUSES AND THE
SOLUTIONS ARE NOT ONLY
SCIENTIFIC BUT THEY'RE
ECONOMIC, THEY'RE
POLITICAL, AND THEY'RE
SOCIAL.
THIS IDEA THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS CAUSED, AS WE
KNOW, BY THE INCREASE OF
GREENHOUSE GASES IS ONLY
REALLY PART OF THE CAUSE.
WHY ARE THOSE GASES THERE
AND WHERE DID THEY COME
FROM?
THAT'S WHEN WE START
GETTING INTO MORE OF THE
ECONOMIC, THE POLITICAL,
AND THE SOCIAL.
AND THAT IS WHEN LEARNING
BECOMES EXCITING AND
RELEVANT FOR STUDENTS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN
LEARNING IS
INTERDISCIPLINARY, THE
INTEGRATION OF THESE
SUBJECT AREAS ACTUALLY
MAKES SCIENCE LEARNING FOR
ALL STUDENTS MUCH EASIER.
WHEN YOU'RE INTEGRATING A
SUBJECT ACROSS, YOU'RE
GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LEARN ABOUT IT IN DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES BUT
REPEATEDLY.
IT ALSO, IF YOU DON'T
INCLUDE DID IN OTHER
SUBJECT AREAS, OR YOU SILO
INTO USUALLY ONE SCIENCE,
IT BECOMES EVEN LESS
CONNECTED TO STUDENTS'
LIVES.
SO FOR THOSE, IF ANYONE ON
THE CALL WORKS IN THE
SOCIAL STUDIES REALM, I
BELIEVE THE AUTHORS OF THIS
ARTICLE MAY BE COMING TO
SPEAK IN A COUPLE OF
MONTHS.
BUT SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS
MIGHT BE NOT BE FAMILIAR
WITH THE PHYSICAL
MECHANISMS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, BUT THAT SHOULDN'T
PREVENT THEM FROM TAKING
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS
AND DEBATE THE ROLE OF
GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS.
AND I WOULD ARGUE IT'S JUST
THE FLIP WITH SCIENCE.
SCIENCE TEACHERS ARE NOT
REALLY FAMILIAR NECESSARILY
WITH THE ROLE OF POLICY AND
THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, THE
ROLE OF CITIZENS, BUT THEY
ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE
SCIENCE.
AND SO BRINGING THESE TWO
TOGETHER IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE FUN
THINGS IS, AS YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD EARLIER, READING
FICTION.
CLIMATE FICTION IS REALLY
AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE AN EMOTIONAL
CONNECTION TO STUDENTS BUT
ALSO GIVE THEM AN
OPPORTUNITY TO ENVISION A
FUTURE OF WHAT IT COULD BE,
WHICH THERE AREN'T
NECESSARILY.
A LOT OF BOOKS
ARE DYSTOPIAN, BUT THERE
ARE SOME EXAMPLES ALSO OF
FUTURE SOCIETY THAT IS MUCH
ROSIER.
SO CLIMATE FICTION IS
ANOTHER WAY OF REALLY
CONNECTING THE SCIENCE
PIECE AND THE LITERATURE
PIECE.
SO THE NEXT PART: HOW DO
WE DO IT?
INFORMAL EDUCATION IS
ABSOLUTELY AN ESSENTIAL
PIECE AS WELL.
WE KNOW THAT INFORMAL
PLACES OF LEARNING ARE
EFFECTIVE PLACES TO TEACH
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND
THAT PLACES -- IN QUOTES --
MAKE CLIMATE CHANGE
RELEVANT.
WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ARE
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE
LOOK ACTUALLY AT A SURVEY
OF VISITORS TO MUSEUMS,
WHICH IS THE CHART ON THE
LEFT, AND THE ZOOS AND
AQUARIUMS IS THE CHART ON
THE RIGHT, THE FOLKS THAT
ARE VISITING THESE INFORMAL
PLACES OF LEARNING TEND TO
ACTUALLY BE READY MORE
TIMES TO BE ENGAGED ON THE
ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THIS, THESE CHARTS LOOK AT
THE SIX AMERICA STUDY WHICH
BREAKS THE U.S.
CITIZENS
INTO THEIR LEVELS OF FEAR
OR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE
ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, LOOKING AT
THIS, VISITORS TO MUSEUMS
TEND TO BE MUCH MORE ON THE
ALARMED, CONCERNED END OF
THE SCALE THAN THE
DISMISSIVE AND DOUBTFUL.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE EDUCATION, WHEN DONE
BEST, IS PLACE BASED.
AND THIS CAN MEAN A NUMBER
OF THINGS.
IT CAN MEAN CLIMATE CHANGE
EDUCATION DONE IN PARKS,
ALSO INFORMAL PLACES OF
LEARNING.
A RESEARCH STUDY DONE A FEW
YEARS AGO TO THE NATIONAL
PARKS SHOW THAT WHEN PEOPLE
LEARN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
IN A PLACE, A CHERISHED
LANDSCAPE, THEY WERE MUCH
MORE LIKELY TO REMEMBER THE
LESSONS THEY LEARN AND FEEL
A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY
TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT AND HAVE KNOWLEDGE
OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
SO THIS SORT OF IDEA OF A
PLACE-BASED EDUCATION.
A RESEARCH PROJECT DONE
HERE OUT OF THE CITY IS
WORKING AT TEACHERS LOOKING
AT PLACE WITH INDIGENOUS
USE.
YOUTH IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
SAW A REALLY VERY DEEP
CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE
CULTURAL PLACE AND RELEVANT
APPROACHES.
CLIMATE CHANGE BECAME MUCH
MORE ENGAGING WHEN WE
LOOKED AT IT FROM THE PLACE
AND HOW IT WAS IMPACTING
THE PLACE THAT PEOPLE LIVED
IN.
WE ALSO COULD LOOK AT PLACE
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE AS
EARLIER ACTUALLY THE
ARTICLE THAT I CITED THAT
SCHOOLS AS LIVING LABS.
SCHOOLS THAT ACTUALLY ARE
NOT JUST BUILDINGS BUT USE
THEIR BUILDING AS A WAY OF
LEARNING.
AND I USE AN EXAMPLE HERE
OF A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN
DONE ACTUALLY AT MY HIGH
SCHOOL IN INNER CITY SAINT
PAUL, MINNESOTA, WHICH THE
SCHOOL ITSELF, IT LOOKS
LIKE A PRISON, AND I'M NOT
JOKING.
THE EXTERIOR OF THE SCHOOL
IS VERY JUST WORN OUT
GRASS.
IT'S LITERALLY IN THE
CENTER OF THE CITY ALONG
THE HIGHWAY.
AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS
FAIRLY TRANSITIONAL.
AND THIS PROJECT REALLY
LOOKED AT HOW CAN WE MAKE
THIS SCHOOL LOOK BETTER BUT
ALSO HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS A
LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE STUDENTS THAT ARE
THERE?
AND SO AN ALTERNATE
CLASSROOM IS BEING PUT IN,
POND WATER, COLLECTIONS SO
THERE IS STORM WATER THAT'S
ACTUALLY IMPACTING,
IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT.
AND IT'S ALSO BUILDING OUT
INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND TO GO BACK TO THAT
ACTION COMPETENCE CYCLE, A
LOT OF IDEAS EMBEDDED IN
THIS CAME DIRECTLY FROM
STUDENTS WHO WERE SOLICITED
FOR THEIR IDEAS AND THEN
ASKED TO ACTUALLY GO OUT
AND DO THE WORK TO GET IT
DONE.
LOOKING AT PLACE NOT ONLY
BEING PARKS, NOT ONLY BEING
GREATER OUTDOOR AREAS, BUT
ACTUALLY LOOKING AT A
SCHOOL ITSELF AS THE PLACE
IN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ON THE BOTTOM
LEFT-HAND CORNER, YOU CAN
SEE THE LOVELY CENTRAL HIGH
SCHOOL.
JUST AN ASIDE, WE DO KNOW
THIS LEARNING IN PLACES
OUTDOORS IS ACTUALLY
EFFECTIVE AND THAT IT'S A
PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO FOCUSING ON CLIMATE
CHANGE, GETTING KIDS
OUTSIDE, THE WEBINAR NEXT
MONTH ON CITIZEN SCIENCE IS
AN EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF THE WAY TO DO
THIS.
AND CITIZEN SCIENCE CAN BE
DONE ANYWHERE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE
IN A PARK OR OUT IN THE
WOODS.
USE THE STANDARDS, THIS IS
ANOTHER REALLY IMPORTANT
PIECE, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE
STILL LOOKING AT CLIMATE
CHANGE NOT NECESSARILY
BEING INCLUDED IN THE
CURRICULUM WHERE THE
STANDARDS THAT ARE TAUGHT
ARE INFORMAL EDUCATION
AREAS.
BUT I THINK THERE IS ALSO
STANDARDS THAT WE ALL HAVE
FOR OUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF
WORKPLACES, THINGS THAT YOU
HAVE TO KIND OF CHECK
BEFORE YOU GO THROUGH ON AN
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, IF
YOU'RE AT A MUSEUM OR A
SCHOOL OR A NATURE CENTER.
AND USING THOSE STANDARDS,
THOSE THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO YOUR
INSTITUTION -- MAYBE IT'S
YOUR MISSION OR YOUR
VISION, YOUR VALUE
STATEMENT, THOSE ARE ALL
IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK AT
AND LOOK AT HOW DOES
CLIMATE CHANGE FIT IN.
FOR SOCIAL STUDIES, CLIMATE
CHANGE CAN REALLY, THERE'S
CONNECTIONS THAT CAN BE
FOUND IN ALL THE DIMENSIONS
OF THE C-3 FRAMEWORK, WHICH
IS THE FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL
STUDIES EDUCATION.
LOOKING AT THE IDEA OF
DEVELOPING QUESTIONS,
EVALUATING SOURCES AND
USING EVIDENCE,
COMMUNICATING COLLUSION AND
TAKING INFORMED ACTION,
GOING BACK INTO THAT ACTION
PIECE.
SO SOCIAL STUDIES HAS
STANDARDS DEFINITELY, AND
OF COURSE AS MANY OF YOU
PROBABLY KNOW, THE NEXT
GENERATION SCIENCE
STANDARDS ARE THE FIRST
NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS
TO INCLUDE CLIMATE CHANGE
AND STARTING IN THE MIDDLE
SCHOOL, ALTHOUGH THE --
THERE'S A LOT OF PRIOR
LEARNING THAT'S HAPPENING
IN THE EARLY YEARS THAT
ALSO BUILD INTO THIS, SUCH
AS JUST UNDERSTANDING
FUNDAMENTALLY WEATHER AND
WHAT THAT IS.
UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE
WORKS.
STARTING TO THINK ABOUT HOW
DO YOU ASK GOOD QUESTIONS.
ALL OF THIS BUILDS INTO
THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, AND NOT
TO MAKE IT LAST BUT NOT
LEAST, BUT HERE WE ARE AT
THIS INCORPORATE SOLUTIONS
AND BUILD THIS ACTION
COMPETENCE, AS WAS
MENTIONED IN THE FRAMEWORK
THAT I HAD USED EARLIER,
SHOWN EARLIER.
SO THIS IDEA OF
INCORPORATING SOLUTIONS,
FOR A LONG TIME OF COURSE
THERE WAS REALLY A FOCUS ON
IF WE JUST TELL PEOPLE THIS
IS A PROBLEM, THAT WE JUST
SHARE THE INFORMATION,
WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE
PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ABOUT
THIS.
WELL, WE KNOW THAT THIS
IDEA, THIS INFORMATION
DEFICIT AS IT IS CALLED, IS
NOT WHAT WORKS.
AND OFTENTIMES ACTUALLY IT
MAKES PEOPLE UNMOTIVATED
WHEN ALL THEY HEAR IS ABOUT
NEGATIVE IMPACTS.
AND SO TALKING ABOUT
SOLUTIONS, TALKING ABOUT
HELP, TALKING ABOUT HOPE,
THAT'S IMPORTANT.
BUT AS I MENTIONED, WE
CAN'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT.
WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GIVE
STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR INNOVATION.
WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATIVITY,
MAKING SCIENCE RELEVANT FOR
THEIR LIVES AND FOR THEIR
FUTURE.
AND I HAVE TWO EXAMPLES
HERE JUST TO KIND OF PULL
OUT TO START THIS OUT.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS ACTION
DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO
BE ABOUT ORGANIZING AROUND
AN ISSUE OR A POLICY.
IT CAN BE IN TERMS OF
DESIGNING THE FUTURE.
TEACHERS IN THIS ACTIVITY
WERE DESIGNING WIND
TURBINES.
THEY WERE LEARNING ABOUT
CLEAN ENERGY.
THEY WERE LEARNING ABOUT
THAT AS AN ALTERNATIVE, AND
THEN THEY STARTED THINKING
ABOUT HOW CAN YOU INNOVATE
TO MAKE A BETTER TURBINE.
AND SO THIS IS ONE ACTIVITY
EVENT.
ON THE LEFT, LAST YEAR WE
WERE ABLE TO BRING TEACHERS
TO THE INTERNATIONAL
CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS, AND
BEFORE THEY LEFT THEIR
STUDENTS HAD BEEN LEARNING
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE TEACHERS ASKED THEM TO
SHARE WHAT THEIR HOPES
WERE, WHAT THEIR DREAMS
WERE AS THEY THOUGHT ABOUT
A CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT,
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE
THAT.
A LOT OF THESE ACTUALLY
CAME MORE FROM THE WRITING
COURSE AND TALKING ABOUT
HOW DO YOU, WHAT KIND OF
EVIDENCE DO YOU PUT INTO
THERE.
SO THESE ARE SORT OF THE
BEGINNING OF STARTING TO
THINK ABOUT CONNECTING
STUDENTS TO SOLUTIONS.
BUT I WANT TO BACK UP TO
THIS PROCESS AGAIN AND
REALLY THINK ABOUT IT NOW
THAT WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT
SOME OF THE OTHER PIECES,
THIS IDEA THAT IT SHOULD BE
SCIENCE BASED, THAT IT
SHOULD BE
INTERDISCIPLINARY, THAT WE
SHOULD USE INFORMAL PLACES
OF LEARNING, AND OF COURSE
IN INCORPORATING THE
SOLUTIONS PIECE.
I THINK THAT WHEN WE LOOK
AT THE IDENTIFYING AN ISSUE
PIECE, I'D LIKE TO KIND OF
BACK TO THINKING ABOUT,
THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT
COME TO MIND WHEN I LOOK AT
THIS PROCESS.
ONE OF THEM IS THIS NEXT
GENERATION SCIENCE
STANDARDS, THAT WE ARE,
MANY OF US TRYING TO
IMPLEMENT AND TRYING TO USE
IN OUR VARIOUS SETTINGS.
THE POINT OF THESE
STANDARDS REALLY WAS FOR
STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN
PRACTICES, BUT BEYOND THAT
TO FORM THIS IDEA THAT
KNOWING AND DOING CANNOT BE
SEPARATED.
AND SO THIS ACTION
COMPETENCE PROCESS I THINK
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
SHOULD BE FOREIGN TO
ANYONE.
IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT
WE ARE ALL AT LEAST
STRIVING TO IMPLEMENT IN
OUR CLASSROOMS.
THESE STANDARDS REALLY
ALLOW FOR THE PROBLEM
SOLVING, FOR EXPLAINING
REAL WORLD PHENOMENA AND
INTEGRATING NEW IDEAS,
MOVING TOWARDS CREATION OF
NEW IDEAS.
AND I THINK ANOTHER THING
THAT'S BEEN COMING TO MIND
IS THE ENGINEERING DESIGN
PROCESS WHICH I THINK IS
ALSO VERY SIMILAR,
SOMETHING THAT LEARNING
REMAINS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS
WITH YOUR TEACHERS, BUT
WITH STUDENTS AS THEY THINK
ABOUT WHAT CAN BE THE
SOLUTION.
AND HAVING THIS BE
SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS ARE
WORKING ON, COMING OUT OF
THE KNOWLEDGE, COMING OUT
OF WHAT YOU HAVE SHARED
WITH THEM.
WHAT DO THEY SEE AS THE
NEED OR THE PROBLEM WHEN
THEY HEAR ABOUT CLIMATE
CHANGE?
YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED WHAT
YOUR STUDENTS SHARE.
AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT WHEN WE'RE
ATTENTIVE TO WORKING WITH
ALL STUDENTS IS THEY'RE ALL
COMING TO THIS ISSUE WITH A
VERY DIFFERENT FRAME AND
FROM VERY DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCES IN THEIR LIFE.
AND FOR IT TO TRULY BE
LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR
THEM, WE ACTUALLY NEED TO
ASK THEM HOW IT IS
RESONATING WITH THEM.
AND THEN ALLOW THEM TO
REALLY WORK THROUGH THAT
RESEARCHING THE NEED OR THE
PROBLEM, DEVELOPING
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS,
SELECTING THE BEST POSSIBLE
SOLUTION AND COMMUNICATING
ABOUT IT.
SO ONCE AGAIN THE DESIGN
PROCESS I THINK REALLY
RESONATED WITH ME AS WELL
WITH THE ACTION COMPETENCE
NEEDS.
I WANTED TO WALK THROUGH AN
EXAMPLE OF TWO THINGS THAT
I THINK CAN ILLUSTRATE THIS
ACTION COMPETENCE LEARNING
PROCESS.
AND THE FIRST THING, AS I
MENTIONED, WE BROUGHT SOME
TEACHERS TO PARIS LAST
FALL.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE THE
LEARNERS ARE ADULT
LEARNERS.
THIS GROUP OF TEACHERS THAT
I HAD THE JOY OF SPENDING
TEN DAYS WITH CAME TO THE
ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,
THEY KNEW A LOT ABOUT IT
ALREADY.
THEY WERE ALL TEACHING IT
IN THEIR CLASSROOM TO SOME
EXTENT.
THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN
THROUGH THIS IDENTIFYING
THE ISSUE AND HOW THEY
THOUGHT IT MAYBE RESONATED
WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
AND THEY HAD THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO PARIS.
AND YOU MIGHT THINK THAT
THAT IS HOW THEY ACTED,
THEY CAME TO PARIS, THEY
SHARED THEIR STUDENTS'
IDEAS WITH OTHERS.
BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND
ACTUALLY IS IT WAS THROUGH
THIS EXPERIENCE IN PARIS,
THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD
ABOUT REALLY TRULY STARTING
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS
ISSUE ARRIVED, MEETING WITH
PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE
WORLD AND UNDERSTANDING
WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO PEOPLE
IN OTHER PLACES.
HOW ARE CONDITIONS
DIFFERENT?
AND HEARING FROM PEOPLE
THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING
SOLUTIONS AND THINKING
ABOUT WHAT ARE THE
POSSIBILITIES FOR ACTION
DUE TO THIS CHANGE.
WHAT BARRIERS EXISTED.
AND REALLY WORKING THROUGH
THIS WHILE THEY WERE THERE.
AND WHEN THEY CAME BACK,
THAT IS WHEN THEY ALL,
HAVING GONE THROUGH THIS
LEARNING PROCESS, STARTED
THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY
WANTED TO ACT.
AND ONE OF THESE INSTANCES
WAS ONE OF OUR -- A GROUP
OF THE TEACHERS THAT
ACTUALLY FROM MINNESOTA
HAVE NOW STARTED DOING
SOMETHING THAT THEY HAD
NEVER CONSIDERED DOING, AND
THAT WAS GETTING INVOLVED
IN DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGNS.
OUR TEACHER PENSION FUNDS
IN MINNESOTA ARE TIED UP
WITH THE STATE FUNDS, AND
THEY ARE LOOKING TO DIVEST
THOSE FUNDS FROM FOSSIL
FUELS.
AND IT WAS GOING THROUGH
THIS PROCESS AND REALLY
FINDING SOMETHING THAT
RESONATED WITH THEM THAT
BROUGHT THEM TO THAT,
REALLY DEEPLY REFLECTING,
AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY
TO THINK ABOUT IT IN A
SPACE WITH OTHERS.
ONE OTHER EXAMPLE, OUR
YOUTH PROGRAM HERE AT
CLIMATE GENERATION IS
CALLED YEA!
MN.
THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS
MEETS EVERY OTHER WEEK
AFTER SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE AN ADVISORY
COMMITTEE, AND THEY
REPRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL
CLUBS FROM AROUND THE CITY.
THESE REPRESENTATIVES COME
HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE
ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY ALREADY
DO HAVE SOME KIND OF
CONCERN, BUT ALSO TO REALLY
LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND
GETTING INTO THIS
CONSIDERING PERSONALLY AS
IT RELATES TO THIS ISSUE,
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND
STARTING TO REALLY
UNDERSTAND WHO BENEFITS
FROM IT, WHO'S
DISADVANTAGED.
THEY ALL WALK AWAY WITH
DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WAYS
THAT THEY WANT TO MAKE
CHANGE, WHICH IS A PERFECT
ILLUSTRATION OF HOW THIS IS
SUPPOSED TO WORK.
THERE'S THREE PHOTOS HERE
THAT SHOW THREE DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS THAT THEY'VE
GONE JUST THIS YEAR.
ONE STUDENT REALLY FELT
VERY PASSIVE ABOUT GETTING
INVOLVED WITH HER SCHOOL.
SHE SAW A LOT OF WASTE THAT
WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS
RESONATING WITH HER AND
WORKED ON GETTING A
HYDRATION STATION.
A VERY CONCRETE SOLUTION
BUT SOMETHING THAT SHE
PERSONALLY INVESTED IN AND
WORKED THROUGH THIS PROCESS
OF HOW CAN I MAKE CHANGE,
HOW DO I MAKE CHANGE, AND
WHO CAN I ENGAGE WITH ME IN
THIS.
THE STUDENT UP IN THE
LEFT-HAND CORNER BECAME
REALLY CONCERNED WITH THE
COMMUNITY THAT OUR
ORGANIZATION IS IN.
WE ARE -- OUR BUILDING IS
IN A VERY LOW-INCOME AREA
IN MINNEAPOLIS AND WE DON'T
ENGAGE WITH THE SCHOOLS
AROUND HERE AS WELL.
SHE REALIZED THERE WAS A
LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
JUST COMING OUT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE IN,
AND CREATED THIS HUGE EVENT
THAT SHE BROUGHT STUDENTS
FROM AROUND THE AREA
TOGETHER AS WELL AS
SPEAKERS TO THINK ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND
HOW CLIMATE JUSTICE, HOW WE
WORK TOGETHER AND EQUITABLE
SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE
CHANGE.
THEN ON THE RIGHT SOME OF
OUR OTHER STUDENTS REALLY
SAW POLICY AS THE SOLUTION
AND REALLY WANTED TO ENGAGE
IN POLICY AND BEGAN
LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE
FORMAL ORGANIZING PIECE AND
HOW DO YOU TALK TO
POLICY-MAKERS AND HOW YOU
MAKE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT,
AND WERE ABLE TO DO JUST
THAT.
SO THREE VERY DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS ALL STARTING
FROM A COMMON POINT OF
LEARNING ABOUT THE ISSUE,
DEVELOPING CLIMATE
LITERACY, LEARNING ABOUT
THEMSELVES, DEVELOPING AN
IDENTITY, AND LEARNING
ABOUT, STARTING TO THINK
ABOUT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS
TO THE ISSUE.
SO AT THAT POINT -- I'M
GOING TO LEAVE THIS UP
THERE BECAUSE I KNOW FOLKS
MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT IT,
BUT I WANTED TO OPEN IT UP
TO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE
WHIRLWIND THAT I HAVE
SHARED BEFORE I KIND OF
CLOSE UP WITH SOME FINAL
RESOURCES.
>> EVERYONE, IF YOU DO HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS FOR KRISTEN
ABOUT ANY OF WHAT SHE'S
SPOKEN ABOUT, PLEASE TYPE
IT INTO YOUR QUESTION BOX
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.
WE'LL GET TO THOSE.
KRISTEN, WHILE FOLKS ARE
THINKING ABOUT SOME
QUESTIONS, DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR OUR AUDIENCE
THAT YOU'D LIKE TO POSE TO
THEM?
>> HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN
THIS ACTION COMPETENCE
LEARNING PROCESS BEFORE OR
THOUGHT ABOUT IT IN THEIR
EDUCATION?
>> I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT
OF FOLKS HAVE SEEN THIS
GRAPHIC BEFORE.
KRISTEN, YOU'RE SEEING --
>> I'M READING YOUR
COMMENTS RIGHT NOW.
SORRY, GUYS.
DOES ANYONE FEEL LIKE --
OKAY.
IS IT USEFUL TO YOU?
DOES IT MAKE YOU GO AH-HAH?
OR DOES IT MAKE YOU -- DOES
IT SEEM PRETTY
SELF-EXPLANATORY?
I WISH WE COULD JUST SIT IN
A CIRCLE AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION.
>> THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION
HERE.
ARE THERE ANY BEST
PRACTICES IN CLIMATE
EDUCATION THAT REACH ACROSS
VALUE SYSTEMS?
>> IT'S AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT KIND OF
VALUE SYSTEM WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT.
I MEAN, THIS PROCESS SHOULD
REACH ACROSS VALUE SYSTEMS
BECAUSE THERE IS NO VALUES
EMBEDDED IN IT.
IT'S STARTING WITH THE
ISSUE AND IT'S ASKING
STUDENTS WHAT THEY BELIEVE
TO BE -- HOW DID THE ISSUE
ARISE?
SO WHAT TO THEM RESONATES
BEST WITH THAT?
AND I MENTIONED EARLIER
ACTUALLY IT'S AN
INTERESTING CONVERSATION
THAT WE HAVE A LOT AROUND
HERE IN MY OFFICE.
AS WE LOOK NOW MORE AT
EQUITY IN THE ISSUE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE, WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE, THINKING ABOUT THE
PROBLEM OF FOSSIL FUELS AND
THEM BEING, THERE BEING
MORE IN THE ATMOSPHERE
ISN'T ENOUGH.
IT'S THINKING ABOUT MORE
DEEPLY OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT
SYSTEMS EXIST THAT HAVE
MADE THE BURNING OF FOSSIL
FUELS EVEN, THIS INCREASE
OCCUR.
AND THIS, I THINK, GOES,
ALIGNS REALLY WELL WITH HOW
DID THE ISSUE ARISE BECAUSE
I THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME
POTENTIAL FOR DISAGREEMENT
IN TERMS OF WHERE PEOPLE
REALLY HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS
ISSUE AROSE AND WHY IT'S
IMPORTANT.
PEOPLE WHO COME TO THIS
ISSUE COME TO IT FROM
DIFFERENT PLACES.
SCIENTISTS COME FROM
DIFFERENT PLACES.
I MEAN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE
AUTHORS GROWING UP WAS
E.O.
WILSON, AND HIS WHOLE
PREMISE IS LIVING THINGS
AND ANIMALS, AND THIS IS
REALLY TRULY I THINK WHY HE
WOULD SAY THIS IS TRULY
IMPORTANT.
NOT TO SPEAK FOR HIM OR
ANYTHING.
I THINK OTHER PEOPLE WOULD
SAY IT'S IMPORTANT NOW
BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING, AN
OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE
ECONOMY THAT WE LIVE IN
BECAUSE IT'S NOT WORKING
THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK IF USED, IF
IMPLEMENTED, IT SHOULD BE A
WAY TO TAP INTO PEOPLE'S
DIFFERENT VALUES.
BUT WHEN WE STARTED A PLACE
FOR THE VALUE -- AND I
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY IT'S A
VALUE -- THE VALUE IS THAT
CLIMATE CHANGE DOESN'T
EXIST AND YOU CAN'T REALLY
GO FURTHER, FURTHER THAN
THAT.
I WILL SAY THAT THESE
PERSONAL NARRATIVES AT AN
ADULT LEARNER LEVEL,
TALKING TO PEOPLE ONE ON
ONE, HEARING THEIR STORIES,
UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS IS
IMPACTING THEM OR HOW THE
SOLUTIONS MAY HELP A
COMMUNITY, THE ONE-ON-ONE
COMMUNITY,
PERSON-TO-PERSON, I THINK
IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF
IT, JUST AS IT WAS WITH ANY
CAMPAIGN.
THOSE ARE WAYS OF CROSSING
SOME VALUES BARRIERS.
I SEE SOMEBODY SAID DO YOU
HAVE A LIST OF CLI-FI
BOOKS.
I HAVE A BLOG.
IF YOU GO TO OUR BLOGS -- I
DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO
SHARE THIS OR IF YOU WANT
TO SEND THESE QUESTIONS
AGAIN, I CAN WRITE BACK.
BUT A FEW YEARS BACK I WAS
LUCKY ENOUGH TO DO A COUPLE
MAYBE A YEAR-LONG OR
TWO-YEAR BOOK CLUB WITH
SUSAN BURR OUT IN COLORADO
WHERE WE WRITE CLI-FI BOOKS
AND DISCUSS THEM, AND I
HAVE A WHOLE SERIES OF
BLOGS ON A NUMBER OF MY
FAVORITES THAT ARE OUT
THERE.
BUT IF YOU TYPE IN -- IF
YOU GOOGLE CLI-FI NOW,
YOU'LL GET MILLIONS.
THEY HAVE REALLY BOOMED
SINCE WE WERE DOING THAT.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF
TERRIFIC CLI-FI THAT'S OUT
THERE.
IN FACT, PEG STEFFEN AND
MOLLY HARRISON, WHO LEAD
THE NOAA CLIMATE STEWARDS
BOOK CLUB, DID A NUMBER OF
CLI-FI BOOKS OVER THE LAST
FEW YEARS, WHO ARE ACTUALLY
GOING TO BE POSTING LISTS
OF THOSE BOOKS AS LONG AS
GUIDANCE QUESTIONS ON TO
THE PUBLIC CLIMATE STEWARDS
WEBSITE IN THE NEXT MONTH
OR SO.
>> COOL.
>> SO STAY TUNED.
>> WHY DON'T WE CONTINUE
ON, KRISTEN, AND I'LL USE
SOME QUESTIONS THAT COME
UP, AND I'LL NARRATE THEM.
>> PERFECT.
I WAS TRYING TO PLOW
THROUGH THEM.
>> IN ADDITION, JUST A
QUESTION THAT SOME FOLKS
HAVE BROUGHT UP IS THAT ALL
OF THESE SLIDES ARE
CURRENTLY LOCATED ON THE
CLIMATE STEWARDS ARCHIVE
WEBSITE AND WE'LL BE
GETTING A COPY OF THE
ARCHIVE TOO, SO DON'T WORRY
ABOUT THAT.
>> COOL.
GREAT.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO CLOSE
THINGS OUT WITH A FEW LAST
THINGS.
I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN SOME
QUESTIONS ABOUT RESOURCES.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT ONES
ON CLEAN WHICH IS ALSO
ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE NOAA
WEBSITE.
JUST TO BE SELF-PROMOTING
OF COURSE, CLIMATE
GENERATION, OUR RESOURCES
ARE ALL ON LINE AND WE HAVE
VIDEOS AND AUDIO.
ALL OF OUR INSTITUTES ARE
ARCHIVED WITH PRESENTATIONS
FROM ALL THE SCIENTISTS AND
FOLKS THAT PRESIDED.
WE HAVE A CLIMATE
STORYTELLING OPPORTUNITY
FOR YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN
OR HAVE YOUR STUDENTS
SUBMIT THEM AND READ
OTHERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT.
ALSO IT'S THROUGH OUR
WEBSITE BUT THERE'S A SUB
LINK.
WE OFFER AN MONTHLY
EDUCATOR E-NEWSLETTER WE'D
LOVE FOR YOU TO GET,
ALTHOUGH BRUCE DOES A GOOD
JOB OF FORWARDING THAT A
LOT OF TIMES I THINK TO THE
PRIVATE STEWARDS NETWORK.
APPLY TO THE EDUCATION
AMBASSADOR, AND STAY TUNED
FOR NEXT YEAR'S SUMMER
INSTITUTE FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE EDUCATION.
WE WILL KNOW WHEN THAT'S
GOING TO BE HELD I BELIEVE
WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO
HERE, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY
TALKING ABOUT OFFERING ONE
THAT'S MORE FOCUSED ON
FORMAL EDUCATORS AND ONE
FOR INFORMAL, JUST BECAUSE
WE LOVE TO DO THEM SO MUCH.
AND JUST A NOTE FOR THOSE
OF YOU THAT HAVEN'T HEARD
ABOUT IT, THERE'S A
TEACH4CLIMATE FOR CAMPAIGN,
BACK TO SCHOOL CAMPAIGN.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS
THAT YOU CAN GET ENGAGED
WITH THAT.
THERE IS A BLOG ON THE NOAA
WEBSITE ON IT, BUT WE HAVE
THE SAME BLOG ON OUR
WEBSITE AS WELL.
AND WE'D LOVE TO SEE IF YOU
USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND
FACEBOOK OR TWITTER OR
INSTAGRAM, A SELFIE OF YOU
POSTING IT, TALKING ABOUT
WHY YOU TEACH FOR CLIMATE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR
PHOTOS TO ME AND I CAN POST
THEM TO SOCIAL MEDIA AS
WELL.
AND HERE'S MY INFORMATION.
FEEL FREE TO PLEASE E-MAIL
ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS,
TWEETS, INSTAGRAM,
FACEBOOK, LIKE US ON
FACEBOOK.
AND THERE'S OUR WEBSITE.
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