A Statewide Survey of Climate Literacy: Measuring Indiana Secondary Science Teachers', Students', and Parents' Behavioral Intentions Towards Teaching and Learning About Climate Change
Abstract
Prior research on Indiana secondary science teachers’, students’, and parents’ behavioral intentions towards teaching and learning about climate change is inadequate. Therefore, this study investigated the following four research questions: RQ1. What are secondary science teachers’, students’, and parents’ perspectives on teaching and learning about climate change based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) components of climate literacy that may influence their behavioral intentions? RQ2. Is there a difference in the mean climate literacy between Indiana science teachers, students, and parents? RQ3. How do the TPB components of climate literacy influence Indiana secondary science teachers’ and students’ “behavioral intentions” to teach about climate change and its impact on Indiana? RQ4. Does the TPB model demonstrate the impact of climate literacy components on Indiana secondary science teachers’ behavioral intentions to teach about climate change and its impact on Indiana? To investigate participants’ climate literacy, a Qualtrics survey was developed that measured the five determinants of climate literacy based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB): attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), knowledge, and behavioral intentions of teaching and learning about climate change. The survey contained both quantitative and qualitative components (QUAN + qual), with closed-ended (QUAN) items serving as primary data sources and open-ended (qual) items serving as secondary data sources. A total of 115 secondary science teachers, 39 secondary science students (6th to 12th grades), and 12 parents were sampled. Survey results indicated that teachers, students, and parents had gaps in their scientific knowledge and held disbelief about climate change and its impact on Indiana, indicating a lack of climate literacy. Regression and path analysis of teachers’ responses found that both attitudes and PBC have a significant (p <.001) influence on teachers’ behavioral intentions towards teaching about climate change. Students’ regression analysis results showed that attitude is the only significant (p <.001) predictor of their behavioral intention to learn about climate change. The ANOVA results revealed a statistically significant (p< .001) difference in the mean climate literacy between groups (teachers, students, and parents). Differences among Indiana secondary science teachers, students, and parents regarding their behavioral intentions towards climate change teaching and learning suggest that they lack climate literacy. Based on the survey results, it is proposed that the science curriculum be revised to reflect scientific knowledge about climate change and its impacts on Indiana. Furthermore, recommendations are provided for improving teachers’, students’, and parents’ scientific knowledge, as well as the instructional approaches for teaching and learning about climate change and its impact on Indiana.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Eichinger, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Climate Change|Science education
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