The next research seminar on climate change education will be hosted by the MaSE research centre, titled ‘It’s getting hot in here: is climate adaptation education a new priority for school leaders?‘, with Dr Lynda Dunlop from the University of York as the speaker.

Date: Tuesday, 18th of February 2025

Time:  12:00 – 13:00

Location: 32/2097 and via Zoom

Seminar abstract: Anthropogenic climate change is bringing changes to the climate system observable in every region.  Increasing risk of extreme weather events is impacting all sectors including education, yet little is currently known about how schools are responding. In this seminar, I will report on an exploratory survey of how school staff are adapting to climate change, using the protective action decision model to understand the barriers and enablers to action on extreme heat. The seminar will examine the tensions between school policy and staff autonomy that currently act as impediments to low cost adaptation methods and explore the implications for school leadership teams, professional organisations and policy-makers. The findings strengthen the calls for quality climate education, and specifically the need to prioritise climate adaptation education for school leaders.

Speaker: Dr Lynda Dunlop is a Senior Lecturer in Science Education in the University of York Science Education Group.  She is an interdisciplinary researcher, working with scientists, artists philosophers and political scientists on environmental education and public engagement, most recently on Game Changers, a UKRI funded narrative online game set in the near future, and on DICEY, an experiment in public dialogue on climate interventions.  She is currently co-convenor of the BERA Education for Environmental Sustainability Special Interest Group and the Play for the Planet network, focusing on the use of games in environmental education. The seminar reports on a study co-led by Environmental Economist Paul Hudson.