Date of Award

2024

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Advisor

Dr Fozia Parveen

Department

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges of the Anthropocene, adversely impacting ecological, social, and economic systems. To address this challenge, it is essential to equip future generations with the knowledge and skills needed for mitigation and adaptation. Despite Pakistan’s high vulnerability to climate change over several years, practical action to mitigate and adapt to its effects remains limited. Although the National curriculum includes information about climate change, it lacks emphasis on meaningful engagement that leads to climate action. To address this gap and bridge the divide between theory and practice, the current study integrated experiential learning into environmental chemistry education to enhance climate change knowledge, attitudes, and actions among Grade X students in a private school in Karachi, Pakistan. The study employed an action research methodology, utilizing Kolb’s Experiential Learning cycle to facilitate experiential learning during the intervention. Data was collected at three stages: pre-action, during action, and post-action using various tools, including document analysis, the assessment of Climate Change knowledge, Attitudes, and Actions (ACCKAA) tool, questionnaire, focus group discussions, a field journal and artifacts. The ACCKAA tool was developed and applied at pre- and post-action stages to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness. Data analysis revealed notable improvements in students’ knowledge, indicating a positive conceptual shift in their understanding of climate change. Similarly, students demonstrated enhanced attitudes and actions like turning off lights, planting trees, replacing plastic bags with cloth bags, and reducing personal transportation. The pre- and post-intervention ACCKAA results further supported these findings, showing a significant difference (p < 0.0001) across the three constructs of knowledge, attitudes and actions, with very large effect sizes: knowledge (r=0.88), attitudes(r=0.86) and actions(r=0.87). Among the experiential learning activities implemented, the field trip emerged as the most effective in achieving the study’s desired outcomes. This study highlights the importance of integrating experiential learning strategies in climate change education to promote climate action, offering implications for practitioners and educational institutions. This study also offers recommendations for educational institutions, curriculum developers, and policymakers to incorporate contextualized climate change education into curricula. It emphasizes the value of experiential learning as a key approach to addressing the existential threat posed by climate change.

First Page

1

Last Page

157

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