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A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford [email protected] April 29, 2010 C-Change in GEES Manchester

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Page 1: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change

Peter HughesUniversity of Bradford

[email protected]

April 29, 2010C-Change in GEES

Manchester

Page 2: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

Structure

• CC & pedagogy• A critical, collaborative, constructivist

pedagogy• CC pedagogy in action “Global Environmental

Management” 1993-2010

Page 3: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

A Pedagogy of/for Climate Change

Characteristics of climate change that present challenges/opportunities for pedagogy

• Uncertainty/indeterminacy• Inter/trans-disciplinarity• Knowledge constantly being reconstituted• Secularisation of knowledge through mass media

and popular culture• A ‘super-complex issue’ (Barnett & Hallam, 1999)

Page 4: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

A Critical/Constructive/Collaborative Pedagogy (Garrison & Archer, 2000)

• “…Knowledge is actively constructed by individuals or social communities.” Tynjala, 1999: 364

• Collaboration is essential for social validation of personal meaning making

• Critical thinking and metacognitive awareness enable learners to become more self-directed/autonomous

Page 5: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

Pedagogy of Climate Change in Action

• Global Environmental Management– Final year 20 credit module– 1993-2002 (University of Sunderland)– 2005-2010 (University of Bradford)– An interdisciplinary social science module

available to various combinations of Geog., Env. Studies, Env. Sci., Env. Man. Tourism students

Page 6: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

GEM knowledge domain

• Concepts: sustainable development; ecological modernisation; risk society; equity; governance; commons; regimes

• Themes: issue evolution; actor groups; local-global connections; values

• Issues: climate change, ozone, biodiversity, forests, oceans, Antarctica, nuclear technologies

Page 7: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk
Page 8: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

GEM - A Critical Pedagogy?

• Comparative perspective• Social construction of issues• Developing confidence in critical engagement

with sources (academic journals; media)

Page 9: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

A Collaborative Pedagogy

• social learning space• In-class discussion• Collaborative group blog• Learners encouraged to share and draw upon

each others learning resources• Student-led teaching sessions• Group role-play

Page 10: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk
Page 11: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

A Constructivist Pedagogy

• Pre-existing conceptions exposed at start of each class

• Issues presented as ‘live’ , and real-time engagement encouraged

• Learners encouraged to construct narrative for module in terms of their own learning journey– Individual learning journals– Culminate in assessed e-portfolio– E-portfolio as fusion of subject and self

Page 12: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

Specific learning activities

• Developing critical engagement with academic journals (see Hughes & Boyle, 2005: 26-27)

• Student-led teaching sessions (Hughes: GDN/GEES Good Practice Abstract 219)

• Use of the internet to engage with ongoing negotiations in international environmental affairs (Hughes: GDN/GEES Good Practice Abstract 177)

Page 13: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

Review

• This is A pedagogy of climate change, not THE pedagogy of climate change

• It has developed as an ongoing conversation between subject matter, educational theory & practice, departmental and institutional contexts, the changing nature of learners, the experiences of the learners…

Page 14: A critical, collaborative and constructivist pedagogy for the social science of climate change Peter Hughes University of Bradford p.hughes3@bradford.ac.uk

References• Barnett, R. (2000) Supercomplexity and the curriculum, Studies in Higher Education, 25, 3, 2000.• Barnett, R. and Hallam, S. (1999) Teaching for supercomplexity: a pedagogy for higher

education, in Mortimere, P. (ed) Understanding pedagogy and its impact on learning, London: Sage, 137-154

• Garrison, DR and Archer, W (2000) A Transactional Perspective on Teaching and Learning, Oxford, Pergamon.

• Hughes, P. and Boyle, A (2005) Assessment in the Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies, Plymouth: Higher Education Academy GEES Subject Centre

• Social Learning Group (2001a) Learning to Manage Global Environmental Risks: Comparative History of Social Responses to Climate Change, Ozone Depletion and Acid Rain, Vol.1, MIT Press

• Social Learning Group (2001b) Learning to Manage Global Environmental Risks: Functional Analysis of Social Responses to Climate Change, Ozone Depletion and Acid Rain, Vol.2, MIT Press

• Tynjala, P. (1999) Towards expert knowledge? A comparison between a constructivist and a traditional learning environment in the university, International Journal of Educational Research, 31: 357-442