Sebastian BRUMANN, University of Augsburg, Chair of Geography Education, Germany
Ulrike OHL, University of Augsburg, Chair of Geography Education, Germany
Johannes SCHULZ, University of Augsburg, Chair of Geography Education, Germany
One of the greatest challenges in the context of the Anthropocene (Crutzen 2002) is the human-induced climate change. Education makes a crucial contribution to mitigating and adapting to this symptom of the Anthropocene (WBGU 2011). Nevertheless, educational approaches addressing this topic are challenging, as it is a highly complex issue (Meyer et al. 2018).
To face these challenges, we used the inquiry-based learning approach. Inquiry-based learning with its potential to reduce the psychological distance to climate change and to build readiness to act accordingly in an emancipated manner, represents a promising approach to climate change education aimed at climate literate and responsible people. The realisation of authentic, science-oriented propaedeutics which follow the inquiry-based learning approach in school contexts is a big challenge and therefore concrete practical and implementable conceptions are rare. To provide an answer to this theory-practice problem (Feulner 2020), we conducted a design-based research (DBR) study.
This research was aimed at developing a science propaedeutic seminar for upper secondary schools in Bavaria, designed to be as close to science as possible, in which the students investigate the implications of climate change in their own region motivated by their individual interests (Brumann et al. 2019). To find out which characteristics this conception must have to enable successful learning processes, we have identified target-oriented design principles in the DBR approach with the involvement of approximately 50 schools and 700 students so far. For this purpose, we worked with structured teacher surveys and participant observation.
In our contribution, we display and discuss the results of our study. We also present the scientifically developed science-propaedeutic school seminar, as well as its underlying design principles.
Keywords: inquiry-based learning|climate change education|design-based research|science-propaedeutic seminar
A104345SB