Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our planet. We are already seeing the repercussions of rising temperatures, and if current trends persist, these impacts have the potential to become increasingly frequent and severe. Climate change and sustainable development are highly complex topics, but understanding the scientific basis, the evidence, and the implications for communities are critical for enabling a successful green transition and sustainable future.
Unfortunately, our educational systems have so far yet to meet the demand for equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills to effectively teach climate and sustainable development within their respective subject. According to the European School Education Platform’s 2020 “Survey on climate education”, two-thirds of teachers cite a lack adequate training as inhibiting their ability to teach climate issues, whilst half cite a lack of easily accessible resources on climate topics.
GEO-Academy is determined to change this. Here’s how we’ll do it:
- By providing teachers with the training and resources in covering climate and sustainability concepts across diverse subjects. These resources will be tailored to align with teachers’ curricular demands and are rooted in evidence-based pedagogical models. Through this, we will empower teachers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively educate and inspire students.
- By building a suite of tools connected to digital and spatial competencies, teachers can use real-world examples and case studies to demonstrate climate concepts to their students.
- By forming a community of like-minded teachers across Europe, committed to education for sustainable development, GEO-Academy will support teachers to share best practices and examples, fostering collaborative learning and creating a robust network for ongoing professional development.
In 2024 we will offer our first training activities, including a Summer School in Greece in June (Erasmus+ KA1 eligible). We will have more to share on this, and more, very soon. If you or anyone you know is an educator and is interested in joining the GEO-Academy, keep an eye on our socials, and be sure to keep an eye on our website: www.geoacademy.eu.