Climademy

Overview

Climademy aims to establish a comprehensive training framework for serving and pre-service teachers that will lead to their better understanding of climate change drivers, impacts and mitigation options; and to promote teachers’ efficiency to teach and learn about climate change. Through Climademy the teachers learn efficient pedagogical approaches for teaching the next generation of European citizens, so they are ready to meet the upcoming challenges specifically related to sustainability, climate adaptation and mitigation, protecting the environment and fighting inequality.

Theory of Change

Nikos and Maria and the team behind Climademy recognised that climate change impacts are experienced differently across Europe, which leads to learners and teachers having different needs in different regions of Europe. They also accept that the facts and data related to climate change education also quickly become out of date. The team responded to these issues by producing a pedagogical model that can be used and adapted to deliver current climate change knowledge effectively to teachers and therefore to learners. Through its successful application Climademy will result in an increase in the accessibility of, and confidence in, climate change science; and will, over generations, lead to societal behaviour change.

Approach and Actions

A central virtual platform (CLAUDI) has been set up which hosts training material, online courses and a forum for teachers and learners to meet and exchange ideas and experiences. Four regional hubs have also been established in the contributing countries -Finland, Germany, Italy and Greece- these hubs host content that is tailored to the specific needs of the teachers from those regions. The national hubs serve as the local centres of Climademy and offer informal learning settings for physical, virtual and blended learning. Two of the hubs are hosted at atmospheric monitoring stations in Finland and Greece, and also the ‘Earth Observation’ hub in Germany and the ‘environmental educational’ hub in Italy have been established.

Impact

The overall focus of the material is on the drivers of human-induced climate change, the impacts of climate change and the measures for sustainability. The resources are openly available to all educators and are designed to be easily accessed, adopted and replicated. Teachers involved in the project are encouraged to be both trainees and co-designers of resources. The aim is to build a network of teacher education and training providers and a community of practice.