Teaching Climate Change Science with the Humanities and Global Perspectives

While students may understand some of the overarching principles of climate change such as the causes and large-scale impacts, they often lack a personal connection to the process and its impacts. Research shows that for classroom lessons on climate change to be effective, at both the secondary and university level, they must be relevant to students and engaging (Monroe et al. 2017). Yet, many science educators continue to teach climate change by sharing mounds of data and peer-reviewed articles which students, especially non-science majors, often find uninteresting and can struggle to comprehend (Siperstein et al. 2017). The students who are sitting in our classrooms today will have to deal with the consequences of future climate change, so it is imperative that we think creatively about how our lessons are taught in order for students to connect with this information and understand how it will impact their future. In particular, we believe that we can find inspiration for how to achieve these outcomes by using new resources (e.g., institutional archives), bringing together contrasting approaches to teaching (e.g., instructors from different academic disciplines), and integrating diverse perspectives (Fig. 1). One way that students can find a personal connection with climate change is by using university archives. With many university archives providing primary source documents spanning over 100 years, these documents can be shared with students in class to explore many topics pertinent to the campus and local community. These resources provide unique opportunities for instructors in the sciences to connect course themes to environmental issues. For example, during the 2021–2022 academic year, a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) at Miami University brought together an interdisciplinary group of professors to explore methods to leverage the university's archival resources for teaching. One of the objectives of the FLC was to help students connect course content to university history, traditions, and our shared responsibility for the future. Resources were found on a variety of topics ranging from the regulation of coal mines in the early 1900s, to concerns about air and water pollution in the 1970s, to interest in reducing the university's carbon footprint in the early 2000s. These resources are being compiled and developed into lessons for non-major environmental biology courses. One important aspect of these activities is the emphasis on research and writing, skills that are crucial for college students to develop. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this FLC, there was a lot of ingenuity. For instance, an art professor created lessons on campus tree coverage and plant diversity, and a writing professor found resources on marginalized voices on campus throughout history—two issues that also have clear connections to science and could allow for cross-discipline collaborations. Lessons using institutional archives provide opportunities for educators to connect with students and present environmental issues through a campus-specific lens. To connect with more science students and build climate literacy, we need to leave our departmental silos and collaborate with professors from other disciplines to create curricular improvements (Siperstein et al. 2017). For instance, literature and writing courses can explore climate issues through fiction (e.g., Barabara Kingsolver's (Kingsolver 2012) Flight Behavior, Jesmyn Ward's [Ward 2011] Salvage the Bones, Richard Powers’ [Powers 2019] Overstory, Charlotte Mcconaghy's [Mcconaghy 2021] Migrations, Shusterman's [Shusterman et al. 2019] Dry) and nonfiction (Elizabeth Kolbert's [Kolbert 2022] Under a White Sky, Bill McKibben's [McKibben 2010] Eaarth, Katharine Hayhoe's [Hayhoe 2022] Saving Us) books. Courses taught in business schools can explore the economic impacts of climate change on local businesses and conduct cost analyses on adopting environmentally friendly practices. Journalism and media courses can examine climate themes in popular movies or investigate the ways that climate is covered in media in different world markets. Working collaboratively with those outside the sciences also allows for relationships within the broader community. Art professors can work with local artists as well as institutions/museums for the presentation of science-themed exhibits (e.g., https://www.sciencelovesart.org/science-loves-art). We can also connect to perspectives through collaborations with those in the education departments at our institutions. National surveys conducted of K–12 science teachers in the United States show that 40–60% of science teachers feel that they cannot confidently and completely teach climate change (National Center for Science Education 2016; Shephardson et al. 2017). This lack of confidence can be the result of societal pressures, especially from within the community, or the lack of formal education on climate change and related topics. If science professors were to collaborate with professors in education departments who are pedagogical experts, workshops for K–12 educators could be planned and implemented that provide both accurate science and age-appropriate ideas for student engagement. These workshops could also provide opportunities for future teachers (e.g., college students majoring in education) to connect with local educators and prepare for their future careers. Additionally, mini-courses lasting just a few hours to several days could be offered by professors and college students for homeschool groups in the community; this would allow college students who aim to become educators to gain experience and improve climate literacy. Diverse perspectives should also be incorporated when teaching about climate change. Recent research indicates climate literacy is quite variable both within and between countries on the African continent. Education is a main factor in predicting if individuals understand the anthropogenic causes of climate change and participate in mitigation and adaption efforts, while other factors such as gender, mobility, and urbanization are also key (Simpson et al. 2021). With African countries expected to face some of the largest risks due to climate change, we feel it is important to both teach our students about these locations and connect students with organizations (such as Roots & Shoots, Loss & Damage Youth Coalition, and Pan African Climate Justice Alliance) who are making a difference in these countries. Furthermore, there have been numerous movements in the Global South that can be explored by students. Since these movements do not receive the same publicity globally as those in Europe and North America, this information is likely to be more intriguing to students, and instructors may find information on movements connected to student's home countries (if international students are in the class). For example, social movements in India have pushed back against government dam construction, and indigenous communities have tried to share knowledge with government officials to avoid legislation that would result in both financial and environmental costs. In Ecuador, indigenous groups were successful in providing rights to nature within the country's constitution (Nagendra 2018). By eliminating the isolation of teaching climate change through a narrow lens, we can open opportunities for understanding perspectives from different regions across the country and world. Unfortunately, science educators still face barriers when teaching about climate change as many of our students perceive that their beliefs are in conflict with science. However, most (if not all) major religions emphasize environmental stewardship. Christian communities discuss the concept of “creation care,” while the Jewish concept of “bal tashchit” forbids destruction of the environment. Similar environmental beliefs can be found in other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Sikhism. Yet, religious students may not realize that their religious leaders and institutions are accepting of climate change. By utilizing texts from these religions in course discussions (many of which can be found through Yale's Forum on Religion and Ecology), educators can help students recognize their responsibility to address climate change based on religious principles. This can also provide another opportunity for instructors to connect with community leaders who could be guest speakers and provide a more diverse global perspective. The opportunities to teach students about climate change using relevant and engaging materials are endless considering the demand for active teaching practices. It is imperative for students to understand the urgency in protecting our planet and limiting the impacts of climate change. By forming interdisciplinary collaborations across our campuses and communities, we can expose students to archival resources and global perspectives while breaking down barriers. Of course, making these changes will also improve student learning related to climate change and help students build connections within the community. It is our belief that thinking creatively about our lessons on climate change will not only enhance climate literacy but also produce a generation of students who are willing to take action and provide hope for the future.