| Title: |
Fostering Teacher Agency in School-Based Climate Change Education in England, UK |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Elizabeth A. C. Rushton (ORCID 0000-0002-6981-8797); Lynda Dunlop (ORCID 0000-0002-0936-8149); Lucy Atkinson (ORCID 0000-0002-6384-2227) |
| Source: |
Curriculum Journal. 2025 36(1):36-51. |
| Availability: |
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
16 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Elementary Education; Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Foreign Countries; Elementary School Teachers; Secondary School Teachers; Teacher Empowerment; Climate; Geography Instruction; Environmental Education; Curriculum Development; Educational Policy; Teacher Workshops; Administrators; Social Values |
| Geographic Terms: |
United Kingdom (England) |
| DOI: |
10.1002/curj.253 |
| ISSN: |
0958-5176; 1469-3704 |
| Abstract: |
Drawing on conceptualisations of teacher agency through the ecological approach, and in the context of recent policy activity, we explored primary and secondary school teachers' experiences of agency in relation to climate change education in England. Data collection occurred over two distinct but related phases. Firstly, we completed a series of interviews with the same three secondary geography teachers at the outset of their careers (15 interviews during 2020-2022) which included 1 year of Initial Teacher Education and 2 years as Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Secondly, we captured the experiences of further 24 in-service science and geography teachers (with expertise beyond the ECT period) through two online workshops held in November 2022, the first for primary teachers (n = 10) and the second for secondary teachers (n = 10). Interviews were held with four teachers (two primary and two secondary) who could not attend the workshops (n = 4). Our findings underline the importance of structures (e.g. school leadership) and culture (e.g. ideas and values) in fostering teacher agency. Teachers across primary and secondary phases and at different career stages highlighted the value of curricular and extra-curricular spaces for climate change education. If all children and young people are to access effective climate change education, researchers and policy makers will need to further consider ways to ensure teachers can achieve agency, including through access to transformative professional learning which fosters agency in relation to climate change education. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2025 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1457669 |
| Database: |
ERIC |