6 Education, including formal schooling, is widely understood to be central to the development of the knowledge and skills that children and young people need to live sustainable lives and respond to the challenges of climate change. The teaching they have access to is crucial for that development. Teachers and their professional development are, therefore, central to effective climate change and sustainability education. Initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional development (CPD) related to climate change and sustainability can enhance teachers’ capabilities to support education’s role in the large-scale change that is needed to transform people and cultures to more environmentally and socially sustainable ways of being. However, to maximise the effectiveness of ITE and CPD, it is first important to understand current perspectives and practice in relation to climate change and sustainability education. This report examines the views and experiences of teachers in England, and highlights opportunities to enhance climate change and sustainability focused professional development at all stages of teachers’ careers. It is structured as follows: following the Introduction, Section 2 summarises the research methods, including the survey design process and the methods of analysis; Section 3 presents the analysis; and Section 4 discusses key issues relevant to climate change and sustainability education in schools. 1.1Research aims The purpose of the survey was to generate new insight into the state of climate change and sustainability education in England. It was guided by the following questions: 1. W ho is engaged in school-based teaching related to climate change and sustainability in England? 2. H ow are climate change and sustainability incorporated into current teaching practice in schools in England? 3. W hat is the nature of professional development related to climate change and sustainability for teachers in England? 4. W hat opportunities exist to enhance climate change and sustainability education in schools in England? 1. Introduction “To disrupt the current pace of environmental destruction and climate change, we cannot continue to do the same things that we’ve been doing; we cannot continue to be the same people; and, we cannot continue to be the same teachers.” (Jickling & Blenkinsop, 2020, p. 122)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA4ODM=