Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change

Humankind is increasingly being challenged by anthropogenic environmental changes and society needs to be better equipped with knowledge, skills and values to adapt to these changes. This poses new challenges for school education. We propose a framework towards future-oriented education by addressin...

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Main Authors: Xi Xiang, Michael E Meadows
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
Series:Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6832
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spelling doaj-9c97e4d7a71944dba32ec27c4ebfba712020-11-25T03:45:53ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502020-08-01126832683210.3390/su12176832Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental ChangeXi Xiang0Michael E Meadows1School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaSchool of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, ChinaHumankind is increasingly being challenged by anthropogenic environmental changes and society needs to be better equipped with knowledge, skills and values to adapt to these changes. This poses new challenges for school education. We propose a framework towards future-oriented education by addressing three issues: a) How can the school curriculum be reframed to take account of anthropogenic environmental changes? b) What difficulties do students encounter when learning about these changes? c) What learning tools and pedagogical strategies are best suited to effectively and efficiently teach about environmental changes? An example is provided, whereby secondary school students engage with the topic of deforestation using geospatial technology. This study informs curriculum makers and instructors in providing education that enhances adolescents’ understanding of the uncertain world and increases their ability to be proactive, rather than merely responding to change.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6832human-induced changefuture-oriented educationSpatial-temporal thinkinggeospatial technologysecondary school geography
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Xi Xiang
Michael E Meadows
spellingShingle Xi Xiang
Michael E Meadows
Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
Sustainability
human-induced change
future-oriented education
Spatial-temporal thinking
geospatial technology
secondary school geography
author_facet Xi Xiang
Michael E Meadows
author_sort Xi Xiang
title Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
title_short Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
title_full Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
title_fullStr Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
title_full_unstemmed Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
title_sort preparing adolescents for the uncertain future: concepts, tools and strategies for teaching anthropogenic environmental change
publisher MDPI AG
series Sustainability
issn 2071-1050
publishDate 2020-08-01
description Humankind is increasingly being challenged by anthropogenic environmental changes and society needs to be better equipped with knowledge, skills and values to adapt to these changes. This poses new challenges for school education. We propose a framework towards future-oriented education by addressing three issues: a) How can the school curriculum be reframed to take account of anthropogenic environmental changes? b) What difficulties do students encounter when learning about these changes? c) What learning tools and pedagogical strategies are best suited to effectively and efficiently teach about environmental changes? An example is provided, whereby secondary school students engage with the topic of deforestation using geospatial technology. This study informs curriculum makers and instructors in providing education that enhances adolescents’ understanding of the uncertain world and increases their ability to be proactive, rather than merely responding to change.
topic human-induced change
future-oriented education
Spatial-temporal thinking
geospatial technology
secondary school geography
url https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6832
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AT michaelemeadows preparingadolescentsfortheuncertainfutureconceptstoolsandstrategiesforteachinganthropogenicenvironmentalchange
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