Integrating Climate Change Education into Social Studies Curriculum at The Basic Education Level (Published)
The paper discussed the need to integrate Climate Change Education into the Social Studies curriculum at the basic education level. To achieve this, the concept of Climate Change Education, its effect on man and environment, and the need for its Education were discussed. Also discussed were the relationship between climate change education and Social Studies and possible areas where the tenets of climate education could be achieved via Social Studies curriculum content. The paper concludes that, creating the needed climate change awareness, which is the ‘‘Hallmark’’ of climate change education could be made possible via corresponding topics in Social Studies curriculum and hence, recommends that, effective and efficient integration of concepts, learning experiences of both subject matters (i.e climate change and social studies), is a sin quanon, if man’s survival problem is to be addressed.
Keywords: Climate Change, Integration, Social Studies, basic education level
Economic Opportunities of Climate Change to Rural Communities in Nigeria (Published)
Discussions on climate change have focused mainly on the negative impact on the environment and how to mitigate these and adapt to, different mitigation and adaptation measures available today, which are economically potential as proposed by IPCC. This paper looks at potentials that can be harnessed from increase in rice husk generation in Ebonyi State due to provisions of improved rice seedling by the present government of the state as an adaptation strategy to climate change. The paper establishes that to properly harness the economic potential of adaptation strategies of climate change among rural farmers, these farmers need to be educated because majority of them are illiterate and are ignorant of the consequences of their actions, and that the educator should adopt conscientization strategy as mode of facilitating learning.
Keywords: Adaptation, Climate Change, Conscentisation, Economic Potential, Environmental Adult Education, Rice Husk, Rural Economy
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS: NEED FOR CURRICULUM REVIEW AT THE SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVEL IN NIGERIA (Published)
Climate change causes and impacts on the existence of man, animals, plants and their environment has become an issue of concern to various nations. This has led nations the world over including Nigeria to put some measures in place, as a way to proffer solution to this deadly problem. Areas of concern are climate change causes, climate change impacts and climate change mitigation. The paper concludes that the impacts of climate change are enormous and should be tackled properly. It recommends that climate change education should form part of school curriculum and be made compulsory for all students at all levels. And there should be various means of mass enlightenment by different groups including schools, communities, public and private sectors as to address this problem squarely.
Keywords: Climate Change, Curriculum, Secondary Education
CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PROVISION OF AND ACCESSIBILITY TO QUALITY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (Published)
This paper deals on challenges of climate change on provision of and accessibility to quality education in Nigeria. It also looks at the implications for quality education in Nigerian educational system. The study is a survey carried out in the three education zones in Ebonyi State. The population is made up of 2,855 secondary school teachers and simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample size of 300 secondary school teachers. Two research questions guided the study. A structured questionnaire made up of 26 items was used for data collection. Two experts in curriculum studies and one expert in Measurement and Evaluation validated the instrument. To determine the reliability of the instrument, a pilot test was done outside the area of the study. Using Cronbach Alpha method, a reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained. Data collected were analyzed using mean statistics. The findings of the study among others, showed that climate change-related problems adversely affect teaching and learning by causing the following: lateness and absenteeism to school among teachers and students; destruction of school buildings and learning materials, unconducive learning environment, destruction of means of livelihood; incompletion of curriculum content, ineffective instructional supervision, and poor performance in examinations. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made: climate change should be integrated into secondary school curriculum; and seminars, workshops, and conferences should be organized for teachers, students, and school administrators on adaptation and mitigation measures of climate change.
Keywords: Accessibility, Climate Change, Quality Education
TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA. (Published)
The concern of the study was to investigate into secondary school teachers’ knowledge of climate, its impacts and mitigation strategies. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used in selecting the respondents for the study. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire named Teacher Climate Change Knowledge Question (TCCKQ). The questionnaire was structured by the researchers and validated by experts. The findings revealed that teachers have the knowledge of climate change impacts on man, animals, their environment, as well as the different mitigating strategies. Revealed also is the disparity between teachers’ knowledge of climate change in urban and rural secondary schools. The implication of the findings is that success of climate change education depends on the knowledge of the teacher on the subject. It is recommended that climate change education be introduced into the teacher training institutions and regular training and workshops be organized for teachers.
Keywords: Climate Change, Knowledge, Nigeria, Rivers State, Secondary Schools, Teachers