Using inquiry-based dialogues to explore controversial climate change issues with secondary students: An example from Norway

Abstract

Young people around the world show considerable engagement with climate change. How can education draw on this engagement in order to benefit students and society? In this article, we discuss how inquiry-based dialogues can support students’ development in their societal engagement. We argue that such dialogues should include real-world problems involving disagreement, which promote students’ agency. We elaborate on qualities of dialogues, such as developing argumentation and perspectives together through respect, attentive listening and recognition of others’ viewpoints. Central theoretical perspectives include inquiry-based dialogues and students’ lived democracy. This research draws on data from a classroom activity where 15–16-year-old students in Norway investigate controversial issues related to electrifying offshore oil platforms. The students are in a learning situation, and the teacher wants them to learn about climate change and the oil industry and the skills and attitudes needed to participate in inquiry-based dialogues. The dialogues show that students bring knowledge, opinions and attitudes from outside school, characteristics that are crucial for students’ engagement. We discuss how teachers can facilitate students’ further engagement by addressing multiple aims of inquiry-based dialogues.

Keywords:

• Inquiry-based dialogues
• lived democracy
• political controversies
• climate change

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The controversy on climate change and petroleum production may be specific to Norway, but we expect similar controversies exist elsewhere.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa Steffensen

Lisa Steffensen is Postdoc at at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Teacher Education, Arts and Sports. Her research interest concerns Critical Mathematics Education and students’ lived democracy related to socio-political topics like climate change.

Marit Johnsen-Høines

Marit Johnsen-Høines is a Professor Emerita at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Teacher Education, Arts and Sports. Her research interest are within Critical Mathematics Education. She focuses on the connection between communication, language, and learning, and on how young people can develop, communicate, and use their critical democratic competence.

Kjellrun Hiis Hauge

Kjellrun Hiis Hauge is a Professor of Sustainability Education at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports. She is a mathematics educator, and her research interest cover democratic practices in teaching and learning, critical citizenship, and students’ capacity to engage critically with mathematics-based information related to contemporary and controversial societal issues.