4.2 Article

Seventh grade students' conceptions of global warming and climate change

Journal

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION RESEARCH
Volume 15, Issue 5, Pages 549-570

Publisher

ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/13504620903114592

Keywords

students' conceptions; global warming; climate change; science curriculum; climate literacy

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The purpose of this study was to investigate seventh grade students' conceptions of global warming and climate change. The study was descriptive in nature and involved the collection of qualitative data from 91 seventh grade students from three different schools in the Midwest, USA. An open response and draw and explain assessment instrument was administered to students. These data were analyzed for content in an inductive manner to identify students' concepts. The categories that emerged from the students' responses reflected different degrees of sophistication or conceptualization about global warming and climate change. The students' conceptions of global warming and climate change in this study were similar to previous studies in that they lacked a rich conceptualization of the issue, especially as it pertains to the greenhouse effect and its connection to global warming. At the same time, this study expanded on previous studies by further elucidating students' conceptions of the impact of global warming on the Earth's oceans, weather, and plants and animals. Here too, students lacked a rich conceptualization. Based on these findings we make curricular recommendations that build on the students' conceptions and the NRC (1996) science education standards.

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