Causes and Effects of Global Climate Change, Relevant Topics

RELEVANT TOPICS FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING

Causes and effects of global climate change are relevant topics to the teaching and learning that should be occurring in today's 21st century classrooms.

Global climate change is a relevant topic to the teaching and learning that should be occurring in today’s 21^st century classrooms because it embodies all of the desired student outcomes that are essential for student success.  Studying global climate change involves interdisciplinary learning.  “Interdisciplinary learning emphasizes connections between traditionally discrete disciplines such as math, science, history, and language arts, rather than limiting learning to one content area at a time.  When teaching and learning are organized around themes, problems, or issues, students seek knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines to provide an expanded and more complex understanding of the topics they are studying.”  (Center For Ecoliteracy)  In order to prepare our students for a more complex world and an increasingly dynamic work environment we must encourage our students to be innovative and creative.  We must provide our students with opportunities to communicate, collaborate, create, experiment, problem-solve, and think critically. 

Our students are immersed in information technology and multimedia but literacy means sorting through the abundant amount of information provided and being able to make sense of it and use it in meaningful ways.  Relevant experience requires our students to be able to contribute individually but also collaborate possibly thousands of miles apart from a team of individuals using digital means.   The level of flexibility and ability to use the technology tools effectively requires students to adapt quickly.

Furthermore, giving our students a problem to resolve that is relevant and real-world means that we are tapping into something they can connect to.  Student-centered learning means our students take responsibility for their own learning and play an active role in their own productivity and desire for accomplishment.  As teachers we can also provide opportunities for reflection and thoughtful discussion among groups of students. 

Global climate change study requires our students to think in terms of systems.  “Understanding how systems maintain themselves and how they change has very practical consequences that go to the heart of education for sustainable living.”  (Seven Lessons For Leaders in Systems Change)  The inevitable question educators often face from their students, “Why do I need to know this?” can be considered here.  How is this relevant?  Clearly our students need to learn and understand that Earth cannot continue to sustain the abuse we are inflicting upon it without responding.  Climate forcing and feedback illustrates an input and output relationship.  The consequences can be brought home for our students by asking them to seek out evidence in the world nearest to them.  They may find their own contribution during the process.  Problem-based learning can help students explore solutions.  By examining present day examples and comparing those to historical data students can gain a better understanding of the dynamic processes that impact climate.