Her recommendations:
- Teaching the science first
- Teach with data
- Use active learning techniques
- Controversy, ambiguity, and topics with incomplete or missing evidence can be used constructively (but need to be introduced judiciously)
- It's not all doom and gloom
- Clearly define your role and your teaching approach
- Lead by example, but don't preach
The site also offers selected literature, teaching methods, and activity collections.
I think these are some great tips, especially as far as teaching with data. I feel like it's harder to argue/make controversy over cold hard statistics about climate change (e.g. there has been a consistent rise in global surface temperature since the 1880s, in conjunction with industrialization), and they are more neutral compelling statements in favor of environmental protection. This awesome cartoon/blogpost for instance is full of statistics as evidence of climate change, and that is why I found it particularly persuasive:
ReplyDeletehttp://darryl-cunningham.blogspot.com/2010/12/climate-change.html
And as you say, it's important not to be all "doom and gloom" so as not to make people feel helpless and do nothing/shy away from the subject. Including solutions always along with the problems achieves this.