susan buhr director, cires education and outreach ...€¦ · over-hyped, too much media, too...

Susan BuhrDirector, CIRES Education and Outreach

University of Colorado, Boulder

1Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

TeacherPreparation

Influences

• Knowledge• Strategies• Practices

• Controversy• Standards• Resources

Influences

Professionaldevelopment

• Controversy• Standards• Resources

•In Community•Sustained•Relevant

2Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Year Project Secondaryrespondents

(N)

Degree ofengagement

2009 ICEE NeedsAssessment

284 61%

2010 CLEANInvitationalSurvey

300 56-93%

2011 CLEANInformantNetwork

145 (97%response rate)

80% middleschool88% highschool

3Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

What do you hear fromteachers about their

preparation?Their perceptions about

climate science?

Susan.buhr@colorado.edu 4

What do you hear fromteachers about their

preparation?Their perceptions about

climate science?

4050607080

Preparation: learning experiences(%)

Self-directed

Short/Variable

Sustained

0102030

5

ICEE, 2009Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

ding

Relevant Not relevant

0

10

20

30

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

ding

Field of highest degree and perceived relevance6Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

• More comfort withEarth Systems

• Less comfort• Climate concepts

(greenhouse effect)• Emerging topics (what

will happen here?)• Evidence-how

scientists know

• More comfort withEarth Systems

• Less comfort• Climate concepts

(greenhouse effect)• Emerging topics (what

will happen here?)• Evidence-how

scientists know

“I was confused by theIzzit ‘Unstoppable SolarCycles’” ICEE 2010, CLEAN2011

Susan.buhr@colorado.edu 7

Wise, 20108Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

30

40

50

60Pe

rcen

tage

resp

onde

nts

Disagree StronglyDisagree

0

10

20

30

Middleschool

High school Lowerdivision

Upperdivision

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

dent

s

DisagreeAgreeAgree Strongly

9Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

CLEAN,2011

50

60

70

80

90

100

(%)

Drop oneStay same

0

10

20

30

40

50

GWhappening

Concern GW Cause ispeople

Scientistsagree

(%)

Stay sameGain oneGain two

ICEEworkshopevaluation2010

10Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

25

50

2530

40

50

60

(%)

25 25

0

10

20

Both valid Unclear Consensus view

(%)

Wise, 201011Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

2009-2011• “…global climate change is both premature and

over-hyped, too much media, too little long termscience investigation other than recent trends…”

• “I was taught…in late 1960 that we were in factentering into another “ice age” and today… I amto teach the other end of that continuum?”

• “Right now I am very concerned over the globalwarming emails and the implication that data hasbeen changed…How can I teach about globalchange if scientists are not being honest abouttheir results?”

2009-2011• “…global climate change is both premature and

over-hyped, too much media, too little long termscience investigation other than recent trends…”

• “I was taught…in late 1960 that we were in factentering into another “ice age” and today… I amto teach the other end of that continuum?”

• “Right now I am very concerned over the globalwarming emails and the implication that data hasbeen changed…How can I teach about globalchange if scientists are not being honest abouttheir results?”

12Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

2009-2011• “Teaching both perspectives of the issue

within time constraints.”• “More support materials-from both sides of

the argument are needed-in order to give thistopic the time and depth needed to reallyinform and educate students.”

• Denialist? Needs PD? Unclear…..

2009-2011• “Teaching both perspectives of the issue

within time constraints.”• “More support materials-from both sides of

the argument are needed-in order to give thistopic the time and depth needed to reallyinform and educate students.”

• Denialist? Needs PD? Unclear…..

13Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

2009-2011• “I am much more confident in my knowledge and

the ability to answer student questions, as wellas be able to direct students to valid data sitesfor them to learn to read and interpret thescientific data for their own evidence.”

• “I am learning to rely on the science (evidence)and let the facts speak for themselves.” Thismakes it easier to present to students…and toother teachers.”

• “I want to objectively present the scientific datathat presents climate change is real and an issueof immediate concern.”

2009-2011• “I am much more confident in my knowledge and

the ability to answer student questions, as wellas be able to direct students to valid data sitesfor them to learn to read and interpret thescientific data for their own evidence.”

• “I am learning to rely on the science (evidence)and let the facts speak for themselves.” Thismakes it easier to present to students…and toother teachers.”

• “I want to objectively present the scientific datathat presents climate change is real and an issueof immediate concern.”

14Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

What do you hear fromteachers about their barriers

and concerns?

Susan.buhr@colorado.edu 15

What do you hear fromteachers about their barriers

and concerns?

• Lack of alignmentwith standards

• Lack of contentknowledge

• Parent, studentbeliefs

Wise, 2010ICEE, 2009

CLEAN, 2011

• Vocal school board membershave approached administration,claiming that it is not occurring

• Students have been told that“global warming” is not real and thathurdle is hard to cross sometimes.

• It conflicts with my students’religion/faith.

• We have some parents that donot believe in climatechange/warming

ICEE, 2009

• Lack of alignmentwith standards

• Lack of contentknowledge

• Parent, studentbeliefs

Wise, 2010ICEE, 2009

CLEAN, 2011

• Vocal school board membershave approached administration,claiming that it is not occurring

• Students have been told that“global warming” is not real and thathurdle is hard to cross sometimes.

• It conflicts with my students’religion/faith.

• We have some parents that donot believe in climatechange/warming

ICEE, 2009

16Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Before instruction:• Align with standards and curriculum• Frame for learners’ perspective• Find high quality resources-

evidence/inquiry• (Maybe) talk with administrators

Before instruction:• Align with standards and curriculum• Frame for learners’ perspective• Find high quality resources-

evidence/inquiry• (Maybe) talk with administrators

17Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

• During instruction:• Employ inquiry, evidence-basedpedagogy

• Controversy as a teachable moment• Integrate climate throughout• Outside speakers• Integrate solutions

• During instruction:• Employ inquiry, evidence-basedpedagogy

• Controversy as a teachable moment• Integrate climate throughout• Outside speakers• Integrate solutions

18Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Cheryl Manning, Colorado High School Teacher

30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Perc

enta

ge te

achi

ng c

limat

e to

pics

0%10%20%30%

Perc

enta

ge te

achi

ng c

limat

e to

pics

20Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

CLEAN 2011

Wise, 2010

21Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

7 18

912757 1

60

80

100

120Pe

rcen

t tea

cher

s

Over 90%76-90%51-75%

2030

51 33

0

20

40

Middle school High school

Perc

ent t

each

ers

51-75%26-50%11-25%Less than 10%

CLEAN 2011

22Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

30405060708090

100

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

dent

s

MS Student interestMS useHS student interestHS use

0102030

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

dent

s

23Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

CLEAN2011

30

40

50

60

Middle School

“By connecting this withinthe physical sciencecurriculum I have been ableto bring it in without reallylabeling it “climate science”which has helped me tokeep some of the pre-conceived notions out of theequation.”

0

10

20

30

Mostly/onlyscience

Equalscience/social

Mostly/onlysocial

Middle SchoolHigh School

“By connecting this withinthe physical sciencecurriculum I have been ableto bring it in without reallylabeling it “climate science”which has helped me tokeep some of the pre-conceived notions out of theequation.”

24Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

40

50

60

Perc

enta

ge R

espo

nden

tsNot at all To small extent To some extent To a large extent

CLEAN 2011

0

10

20

30

Middle School High School Lower Division Upper Division

Perc

enta

ge R

espo

nden

ts

25Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

http://cleanet.org/26Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

40

50

60

70

80

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

dent

s

Honors/APLow reading levelRemedial math/quantEnglish language learners

0

10

20

30

40

Middle school High school Lower division Upper division

Perc

enta

ge re

spon

dent

s

27Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Susan.buhr@colorado.edu 28

Wise, 2010 JGE

encouraging discouraging0

20

40

60

80

100 experience enhanced teachingexperience hindered teaching

community experiences around teaching GW

% o

f Ear

th s

cien

ce te

ache

rs

encouraging discouraging0

20

40

60

80

100 experience enhanced teachingexperience hindered teaching

community experiences around teaching GW

% o

f Ear

th s

cien

ce te

ache

rs

Wise, 2010 29Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

• Most perceiveinstitutional support

• Most perceived asresource by colleagues

• Climate scientistconnections

• National science/education communities

• Local/regionalcommunities

• Most perceiveinstitutional support

• Most perceived asresource by colleagues

• Climate scientistconnections

• National science/education communities

• Local/regionalcommunities

Iceeonline.org/forum andlistserve

30Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

1015202530354045

(%)

Middle school High School

05

1015

Day or less Week orless

One-twoweeks

Three-fourweeks

Amount PD taken

31Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

CLEAN 2011

• Online course ICEE Spring 2012• 3 credit grad ENVS or Continuing Ed or nominal admin

fee• Teaching strategies, Essential Principles Climate Lit,

capstone local teaching activity• Email susan.buhr@colorado.edu

• CLEAN webinarshttp://www.cleanet.org/clean/community/webinars/in

dex.html• CLEAN online faculty workshops

• April 2-14, 2012 - Communicating Climate Science inthe Classroom

• May 7-16, 2012 - Teaching Climate Complexity

• Online course ICEE Spring 2012• 3 credit grad ENVS or Continuing Ed or nominal admin

fee• Teaching strategies, Essential Principles Climate Lit,

capstone local teaching activity• Email susan.buhr@colorado.edu

• CLEAN webinarshttp://www.cleanet.org/clean/community/webinars/in

dex.html• CLEAN online faculty workshops

• April 2-14, 2012 - Communicating Climate Science inthe Classroom

• May 7-16, 2012 - Teaching Climate Complexity

32Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Opportunities:• Reach to all society• High interest• Encouragement is

effective• Potential standards

alignment

Challenges:• Persistent controversy• Lack of alignmnent

with standards• New topic for most

Opportunities:• Reach to all society• High interest• Encouragement is

effective• Potential standards

alignment

Challenges:• Persistent controversy• Lack of alignmnent

with standards• New topic for most

33Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

34Susan.buhr@colorado.edu

Question: If you have tried or considered teachingclimate change in your classroom, what kinds of

challenges have you come up against?

Content (Personal knowledge,Curriculum Integration)

Lack of Resources

Controversy of Topic

Learnmoreaboutclimate survey amongColorado teachers 2011, N=53

0 5 10 15 20

Controversy of Topic

Influence of Parents

Lack of Teaching Time

Fatalistic feeling by students

50

60

70

80

90

100

Male

AGI, Geosci WorkforceReport, 2011See also NAGT PositionPaper

0

10

20

30

40

50

Biology (1 yr) Chemistry (1 yr) Physics (1 yr) Geol/E.S. (0.5 yr)

MaleFemale

36Susan.buhr@colorado.edu