Rushton, Elizabeth, Dunlop, Lynda orcid.org/0000-0002-0936-8149 and Atkinson, Lucy (2024) Fostering teacher agency in school-based climate change education in England, UK. Curriculum Journal. ISSN 1469-3704
Abstract
Drawing on conceptualisations of teacher agency through the ecological approach, and in the context of recent policy activity, we explored primary and secondary school teachers’ experiences of agency in relation to climate change education in England. Data collection occurred over two distinct but related phases. Firstly, we completed a series of interviews with the same three secondary geography teachers at the outset of their careers (15 interviews during, 2020-2022) which included one year of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and two years as Early Career Teachers (ECTs). Secondly, we captured the experiences of further 24 in-service science and geography teachers (with expertise beyond the ECT period) through two online workshops held in November 2022, the first for primary teachers (n=10) and the second for secondary teachers (n=10). Interviews were held with four teachers (two primary, two secondary) who could not attend the workshops (n=4). Our findings underline the importance of structures (e.g. school leadership) and culture (e.g. ideas and values) in fostering teacher agency. Teachers across primary and secondary phases and at different career stages highlighted the value of curricular and extra-curricular spaces for climate change education. If all children and young people are to access effective climate change education, researchers and policy makers will need to further consider ways to ensure teachers can achieve agency, including through access to transformative professional learning which fosters agency in relation to climate change education.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Authors. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Social Sciences (York) > Education (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 09 Feb 2024 12:30 |
Last Modified: | 08 Mar 2025 00:10 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1002/curj.253 |
Status: | Published online |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1002/curj.253 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:209011 |
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Description: The Curriculum Journal - 2024 - Rushton - Fostering teacher agency in school‐based climate change education in England UK
Licence: CC-BY 2.5