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This article presents a mixed methods investigation of discourse about action on climate change and other socioenvironmental challenges in the context of an informal climate change and film education program. We focused on how action was framed by students, their mentors, and in their co-produced films. Students and films predominantly framed action as something that individuals, including youth, can and should do by making small choices in their daily lives. These choices were framed as being effective when many individuals participate in them. Co-produced films spread messages of hope and educated and motivated others to make similar choices. While the dominant framing was one of individual behavior change, there was some contrasting discourse that framed action as a collective social process or necessary at a more systemic level. We discuss these actions across scales from individual behavior change to collective and system-oriented change in terms of hope, agency, neoliberalism, and justice.

The study examined high school students' perspectives on climate change before and after participation in an informal science education program. During the program, students made a short, place-based film about climate change impacts in their communities. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of student data revealed key themes that illustrate how students characterized climate change before and after developing their films. Following the program, students described climate change as locally-relevant, alarming, and a concern that held increased personal importance to them. They also reported greater confidence in their understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change and indicated a stronger sense of both collective and personal responsibility to take action to address climate change challenges in their communities. The study adds to the existing body of literature that describes how making personally meaningful connections with climate change can inspire a sense of responsibility and agency among students.

We assessed undergraduates' representations of the greenhouse effect, based on student-generated concept sketches, before and after a 30-min constructivist lesson. Principal component analysis of features in student sketches revealed seven distinct and coherent explanatory models including a new "Molecular Details" model. After the lesson, which described the invisible molecular behaviour of gases, this group (n = 164) produced significantly more expert-like representations of the greenhouse effect, and included fewer novice ideas. The key behaviour that greenhouse gases emit radiation in random directions is new to most students and directly counters common explanations involving reflection and 'trapping' of radiation in the atmosphere. Thus, learning molecular behaviour of greenhouse gases may help students replace non-expert explanatory models. This "Molecular Details" model has not been previously identified, and is unlikely to have emerged from human evaluation of student sketches alone. When teaching the greenhouse effect, we propose that interventions explicitly incorporate greenhouse gas behaviour.

AbstractClimate change education (CCE) plays a critical role in climate empowerment and addressing the challenge of climate change. We present results from the first social network analysis of CCE in the U.S. We surveyed CCE professionals through an established CCE network and wide dissemination from CCE professionals about their interactions with others across 5 dimensions: (1) climate and energy education; (2) climate action, climate empowerment, or community engagement; (3) workforce development in the climate and energy field; (4) diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism; and (5) climate or energy policy. The resulting network analysis shows some cohesiveness, especially for the first two dimensions; however, network cohesiveness could be improved. The findings also show the keystone organizations and brokers across the CCE field. This study provides a foundation for developing targeted strategies to strengthen CCE for improving coordinated and collaborative climate action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]