Bicycle model on climate change education: presenting and evaluating a model

Abstract

This article presents and evaluates a model made for climate change education – the bicycle model. The model was created based on an extensive literature review, from which, essential aspects of climate change education were drawn out. The bicycle model is a representation of holistic climate change education and emphasizes the importance of the following aspects: knowledge, thinking skills, values, identity, worldview, action, motivation, participation, future orientation, hope and other emotions, and operational barriers. In this study, the model is also evaluated by climate education researchers and educators. The evaluation was done through documented group discussions and an electronic questionnaire. The findings suggest that the model is useful in developing climate change education policy, research and practice. The findings also give insight into expert's perceptions on climate education. Finally, the article discusses how this model could be developed further.

Keywords:

• Climate change education
• climate change education model
• bicycle model on climate change education
• climate change experts
• sustainability education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hannele Cantell

Hannele Cantell, PhD, is working as a university lecturer of geography education in University of Helsinki, Faculty of Educational Sciences. She is an adjuct professor (the title of docent). Her research interests are climate education, global education, geography education and phenomenon-based learning.

Sakari Tolppanen

Sakari Tolppanen, PhD, is working as a researcher at the University of Eastern Finland in the School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education. His research interests are climate change education, sustainability education and non-formal education.

Essi Aarnio-Linnanvuori

Essi Aarnio-Linnanvuori, PhD, is an experienced environmental educator, who has a PhD from Environmental Change and Policy, University of Helsinki. Her research interests relate to the ‘wickedness’ of environmental issues. She has a particular interest in interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary environmental education, and climate change education. She currently works as an education officer at WWF Finland.

Anna Lehtonen

Anna Lehtonen, MEd, is doing doctoral research of arts-based climate change education at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She applies drama as a participatory research method for socially constructed response to climate change. Her research interests include climate change education, drama as a research method and education for a sustainable future.