student mental models of global warming and climate change: what does research tell us?

NRC Workshop on Climate Change Education

Student Mental Models of

Global Warming and Climate Change:

What does Research Tell Us?

Boyes, E; Stanisstreet, M; Skamp, K; Rodriguez, M; Malandrakis, G; Fortner, R; Kilinc, A;

Taylor, N; Chhokar, K; Dua, S; Ambusaidi, A; Cheong, I; Kim, M and Yoon, H-G

Eddie Boyes

University of Liverpool, UK

Climate Change

Educators have always appreciated the

importance of knowing their audience,

their beliefs, anxieties and needs

Shepardson D, Choi S, Niyogi D & Charusombat U (2011), “Seventh grade students' mental models of the greenhouse effect”

Environmental Education Research, 17:1, 1-17

"The CO2 levels in the atmosphere are high enough to let rays in, but not out"

Education FOR the Environment

Beliefs & Attitudes

towards

Global Warming &

Climate Change

Likely Actions

to reduce

Global Warming &

Climate Change

Questionnaire Survey – 11 Countries

1 Australia

2 Brunei

3 Greece

4 India

5 Korea

6 Oman

7 Singapore

8 Spain

9 Turkey

11 USA

Beliefs & Attitudes

towards

Global Warming &

Climate Change

Likely Actions

to reduce

Global Warming &

Climate Change

Questionnaire Survey – 11 Countries

1 Australia

2 Brunei

3 Greece

4 India

5 Korea

6 Oman

7 Singapore

8 Spain

9 Turkey

11 USA

12,627 students

Grades 6-10

State Total by state % of sample California 261 30 Florida 263 30 Minnesota 96 11 Ohio 249 29

TOTAL 896

Students from neither from the highest performing nor the most academically

needy districts (without tuition or vouchers), and from those with some racial

and ethnic diversity.

Data collected in 2007

Questionnaire Survey 16 actions related to:

1 TRANSPORT (use) 9 E-FRIENDLY (trees)

2 TRANSPORT (type) 10 E-FRIENDLY (recycle)

3 POWER GENERATION (renewable) 11 MEAT - VEG (efficiency)

4 POWER GENERATION (nuclear) 12 FERTILISERS

5 THE HOME (electricity use) 13 LAWS

6 THE HOME (insulation) 14 TAXES

7 THE HOME (consumer durables) 15 EDUCATION

8 THE HOME (consumables) 16 COOPERATION

16 questions – degree of willingness to take action

16 questions – believed usefulness of the action

16 questions – degree of willingness to take action

16 questions – believed usefulness of the action

Believed Usefulness of Action

1 If people had smaller cars that used less gasoline, global warming would be reduced by .......

9 If more trees were planted in the world, global warming would be reduced by .......

2 If people didn’t use their cars so much, global warming would be reduced by .......

10 If people recycled things more, global warming would be reduced by .......

3 If more of our energy was produced from the wind, waves and sun, global warming would be reduced by .......

11 If people eat less meat, global warming would be reduced by .......

4 If more of our energy was produced from nuclear power stations, global warming would be reduced by .......

12 If farmers stopped using artificial fertilizers with nitrogen in them, global warming would be reduced by .......

5 If people used less electricity in their homes, global warming would be reduced by .......

13 If politicians made the right kind of new laws, global warming would be reduced by .......

6 If people got their homes insulated better, global warming would be reduced by .......

14 If politicians made people pay more tax and spent the money on the right kind of things, global warming would be reduced by .......

7 If people got things for their homes (like fridges and washing machines) that used less energy, global warming would be reduced by .......

15 If people were taught more about it, global warming would be reduced by .......

8 If people were prepared to buy fewer new things and make do with the old ones, global warming would be reduced by .......

16 If there could be more agreement between different countries about not putting certain gases into the air, global warming would be reduced by .......

by quite a lot

by a fair amount

by a small but useful amount

by a very small amount - hardly noticeable

by nothing at all really

by quite a lot

by a fair amount

by a small but useful amount

by a very small amount - hardly noticeable

by nothing at all really

If people had smaller cars that used less gasoline, global

warming would be reduced ……

Percentage ‘a fair amount’ or ‘quite a lot’

If people didn’t use their cars so much, global warming would

be reduced ……

If more of our energy was produced from the wind, waves and

sun, global warming would be reduced ……

If more of our energy was produced from the wind, waves and

sun, global warming would be reduced ……

67% of Americans suggest that

developing sources of clean energy

should be a high, or very high,

priority for the President and

Congress (35% high priority)

If more of our energy was produced from nuclear power

stations, global warming would be reduced ……

If people eat less meat, global warming would be reduced ……

Degree of Willingness to Act

1 Even if it was not as fast or luxurious, I would try to get a car that uses less gasoline

9 Even if I had to pay more taxes, I think there should be more trees planted in the world

2 Even if it took me longer and was more inconvenient, I would try to use buses and trains instead of a car

10 Even if it was more trouble for me, I would recycle things rather than just throw them away

3 Providing more of our energy was produced from the wind and waves and sun, I would be willing to pay more for electricity

11 Even if I really liked meat, I would eat fewer meals with meat in them

4 Providing more of our energy was produced from nuclear power stations, I would be willing to pay more for electricity

12 Even if it was more expensive, I would buy food grown without the use of artificial fertilizers

5 To save electricity, I would switch things off at home when I didn’t need them

13 I would vote for a politician who said they would bring in laws to reduce global warming, even though it would stop me doing some of the things I enjoy

6 Even though it cost me money, I would get extra insulation for my home

14 I would vote for a politician who said they would increase taxes to pay for reducing global warming, even though it meant me having less money to spend

7 Even if it cost me more, I would buy things for my home (like fridges and washing machines) that use less energy

15 I would like to learn more about global warming, even though it would mean extra work for me

8 Even if it meant that I didn’t always have the latest ‘gear’ or fashion, I would be prepared to buy new things less often

16 Even though it might mean some inconvenience to me, I would vote for a politician who said they would sign agreements with other countries on global warming

I would definitely (do it)

I would almost certainly (do it)

I would probably (do it)

perhaps I would (do it)

I would probably not (do it)

I would definitely (do it)

I would almost certainly (do it)

I would probably (do it)

perhaps I would (do it)

I would probably not (do it)

Even if it was not as fast or luxurious, I would try to get a car

that uses less gasoline

Percentage ‘almost certainly’ or ‘definitely’ do it

Even if it took me longer and was more inconvenient, I would

try to use buses and trains instead of a car

Even if it took me longer and was more inconvenient, I would

try to use buses and trains instead of a car

A chicken in every pot

and a car in every garage

Providing more of our energy was produced from the wind and

waves and sun, I would be willing to pay more for electricity

68% of Americans support requiring

electric utilities to produce at least

20% of their electricity from

renewable energy sources, even if it

costs the average household an extra

$100 a year.

Providing more of our energy was produced from nuclear

power stations, I would be willing to pay more for electricity

47% support building more

nuclear power plants, but 33% for

building them in their local area.

I would vote for a politician who said they would increase taxes to

pay for things that would help the environment, even though it

meant me having less money to spend

I would vote for a politician who said they would increase taxes to

pay for things that would help the environment, even though it

meant me having less money to spend

29% of Americans say that the government

should undertake a large-scale effort to

reduce global warming, even if it has large or

moderate economic costs

Further Analysis

1 How helpful is a particular action? 2 Are they likely to do it?

1 How helpful is a particular action? 2 Are they likely to do it? 3 What is the connection between 1 and 2? helpful do it?

Closed Questionnaire (matched responses)

by quite a lot ... I would definitely do it by a fair amount .... I would almost certainly do it by a small but useful amount ... I would probably do it by a very small amount .... perhaps I would do it (hardly noticeable) by nothing at all really .... I would probably not do it

Closed Questionnaire (matched responses)

(1.00) by quite a lot ... I would definitely do it (1.00) (0.75) by a fair amount .... I would almost certainly do it (0.75) (0.50) by a small but useful amount ... I would probably do it (0.50) (0.25) by a very small amount .... perhaps I would do it (0.25) (hardly noticeable) (0.00) by nothing at all really .... I would probably not do it (0.00)

For any particular action (pair of items)

(Definitely) 1.00

(Probably not) 0.00 0.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

Degree of Willingness

To Act

One action (pair of items)

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

Natural

Willingness

to Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

Natural

Willingness

to Act

Natural

Reluctance

to Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

Natural

Willingness

to Act

Natural

Reluctance

to Act

Unused Appliances

US Data

Unused Appliances Nuclear Power

US Data

Unused Appliances Nuclear Power

Planting Trees

US Data

Education

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

Potential Effectiveness of Education for the 16 topics

versus

Percentage of students unlikely to take action

In Conclusion

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

(Definitely) 1.00

(Nothing at all)

1.00 (Quite a lot)

0.25 0.50 0.75

To Act

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals. Martin L. King Jr. 1948, Morehouse College

student mental models of global warming and climate change: what does research tell us?

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