RCE Helsinki Metropolitan - 2023

Location

Finland
See map: Google Maps
FI
Teachers' Climate Change Forum
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Teachers' Climate Change Forum
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Helsinki Metropolitan
Contributing organization(s) : 
LUMA Centre Finland, University of Helsinki Science Education, Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research INAR
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Maija Aksela
Organizational Affiliation: 
Professor, Director of LUMA Centre Finland
E-mail: 
maija.aksela@helsinki.fi
Format of project: 
Online event
Language of project: 
English, Finnish
Date of submission:
Friday, March 31, 2023
Web link: 
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/science-education-and-academic-outreach/teachers/teachers-climate-change-forum
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
Sustainable education
At what level is the policy operating?: 
International
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Europe
Location(s): 
Online course in 2022, participants from many countires
Address of focal point institution for project: 
A.I. Virtasen aukio 1, 00560 Helsinki, Finland
Ecosystem(s):
Forest, Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., Youth (Informal)
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Climate change
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
January, 2017 to December, 2024
Rationale: 
Climate change is one of the biggest global challenges of our time. On the other hand, teachers are in a key position in society in educating children and youth – the makers of the future – about education regarding information, skills and attitude. Every teacher has an effect for at least a hundred years; first during their lifetime and even after that through their students. It can be seen as necessary to look at climate change in a versatile way in teaching children and youth. Climate change should be seen in teaching as a phenomenon, and in order to achieve an even deeper understanding of this, the phenomenon is required to be studied from the viewpoint of all different fields/subjects.
Objectives: 
The main aim is that the teachers that have completed this course have developed the ability to look at climate change in a pedagogically meaningful and multidisciplinary way and from the viewpoint of different fields of science, but in a way that takes into consideration different beliefs. The other aim is to develop teachers' ability to act in their learning communities as so-called change agents or mentors that support their colleagues in teaching about the topic. A primary aim is also that through this course a network between teachers teaching at different school levels is built, in which teachers can even after the end of the project course share their ideas, experience and know-how. The goal is to create a network for an active meeting forum for teachers, developers of climate science education and climate researchers.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The University of Helsinki’s Science Education Centre and The Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) organized an international, and engaging in-service education course Teachers' Climate Change Forum for teachers teaching at different school levels all around the world. The course was held in English. The course consisted of studying and collaborative development in a web environment.

The web environment can be built with one or more tools which then enables interactions between participants from all over the world.

In the web environment, participants are instructed by specialists that belong to the University of Helsinki’s teaching and research personnel.
Size of academic audience: 
50 in year 2022
Results: 
In Finnish science education, new pedagogical solutions have been developed for the past 20 years based on research, encouraging different level's teachers toward development.
Lessons learned: 
Implementing the course TCCF 2023 aims to exploit the experience received from a Teachers' Climate Change Forum from previous years.
Key messages: 
In the course, Teachers' Climate Change Forum (TCCF) 2022, teachers teaching at different school levels worldwide are educated to look at climate change in a multidisciplinary and meaningful way in their teaching. The teachers participating in the course are themselves in an active role as they are participating in collaborative development. The course promotes different level school teachers’ i) knowledge of most novel research information concerning climate change and ii) know-how of climate change, how to control and adapt to it, and using this information in their teaching.
Funding: 
The project has had funding from the Magnus Ehrnrooth foundation.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Indirect
SDG 6 - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 
Direct
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Indirect
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Direct
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Direct
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Direct
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Agriculture 
Indirect
Arts 
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Ecotourism 
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes