High School Students’ Climate Literacy through Epistemology of Scientific Modeling (CliMES)

Project Overview
To study Earth’s climate and make predictions about climatic patterns, scientists rely on robust, data-intensive, computer-based models. Modeling is a core scientific practice emphasized in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). To develop climate literacy, or the ability to engage with social, economic, and cultural issues around climate issues, students must develop knowledge of both the conceptual and epistemic underpinnings of climate science, the latter of which foregrounds understanding of how models are used to study the Earth’s climate. Because scientific modeling remains underemphasized in K-12 science classrooms, there is a need to learn more about the design of science learning environments that promote students’ model-based reasoning about climate. With funding from NSF (DRL 1720838/2203386 and 1719872), we are engaged in a 5-year, mixed-methods, design-based research project to investigate classroom use of EzGCM (Easy Global Climate Modeling), a web-based climate modeling suite designed to provide non-scientists experiences with climate modeling. We are developing and implementing a 5-week climate science module for secondary science classrooms designed around EzGCM. Each year, we collect and analyze evidence of students’ model-based reasoning about climate, including pre-/post- measures of students’ conceptual and epistemic knowledge, curriculum-embedded modeling tasks, interviews, and videorecorded observations of instruction to investigate two research questions: 1) how do secondary students develop epistemic and conceptual knowledge about climate change? and 2) how do secondary science teachers support students’ use of EzGCM to develop epistemic and conceptual knowledge about climate change? The project will impact 55 secondary teachers and 3000 secondary students and leverages a new partnership between Columbia University and the University of Texas at Arlington, promoting cross-fertilization between climate scientists and science educators, in partnership with school districts in Texas, Nebraska, and California.

Stay up to date with current news associated with the CliMES project here.

Project Publications

Carroll-Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Chandler, M.C., & Forbes, C.T. (2022). Secondary science teachers’ implementation of a curricular intervention when teaching with global climate modelsJournal of Geoscience Education, 70(4), 474-489.

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll-Steward, K., & Forbes, C.T. (2021).  Climate education in secondary science: Comparison of model-based and non-model-based investigations of Earth’s climate. International Journal of Science Education, 43(13), 2226-2249.

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll-Steward, K., & Forbes, C.T. (2021).  Empirical research on K-16 climate education: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Geoscience Education, 69(3), 223-247.

Bhattacharya, D., Chandler, M., Carroll-Steward, K., & Forbes, C.T. (2020). Investigating the phenomenon of increasing surface air temperatures using a global climate modeling approach. The Science Teacher, 88(1), 58-66.

Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M., Blake, J., Bhattacharya, D., Carroll-Steward, K., Johnson, V., DeGrand, T., Mason, W., and Murrow, B. (2020).  Fostering climate literacy with global climate models in secondary science classrooms: Insights from a collaborative partnership.  In J. Henderson & A. Drewes (Eds.), Teaching Climate Change in the United States (pgs. 29-43) . Routledge; New York.

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll-Steward, K., Sutter, A., Chandler, M., & Forbes, C.T. (2018). Climate literacy: Insights from research on K-16 climate education. Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly, V(4), 26-35.

Project Presentations

Mostacedo-Marasovic, S.J., Olsen, A. & Forbes, C.T. (2022). Supporting secondary students’ understanding of Earth’s climate system and global climate change using Easy Global Climate Modeling. Earth Educators Rendezvous, Twin Cities, Minnesota.

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll Steward, K., Chandler, M.A. & Forbes, C.T. (2020, April). Using a global climate model-EzGCM to promote understanding of the Earth’s changing climate. Experiential session presentation at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Boston, MA. (COVID-19 related cancellation of conference)

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll Steward, K., Chandler, M.A. & Forbes, C.T. (2020, April). CLEAN: A collection of climate and energy educational resources: Guiding teachers toward climate and energy education. Short course session presentation at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Boston, MA. (COVID-19 related cancellation of conference)

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Carroll Steward, K. (2020, July). Model-based teaching and learning about Earth’s climate in secondary science classrooms. Poster presentation at the 2020 Earth Educators Rendezvous. (Virtual presentation due to COVID-19)

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Carroll Steward, K. (2020. March). Modelling, assessment, and promotion of climate literacy. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Portland, OR. (Covid-19 related cancellation of conference)

Bhattacharya, D., Carroll Steward, K., Forbes, C.T., & Chandler, M.A. (2020, March). Climate education in secondary science: A comparison of model-based and non-model-based investigations of global climate data. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Portland, OR. (Covid-19 related cancellation of conference)

Carroll Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., & Chandler, M.A. (2020, March). Secondary science teachers’ implementation of a curricular intervention when teaching with global climate models. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Portland, OR. (Covid-19 related cancellation of conference)

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A., & Carroll Steward, K. (2019, September). Developing secondary students reasoning about the phenomenon of global climate change using model and data-based activities. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Phoenix, AZ.

Carroll Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A. (2019, October). Secondary teachers’ implementation of a model-based climate curriculum unit. Paper presented at annual meeting of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Lexington, KY.

Carroll Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A. (2019, September). Model-based teaching and learning about Earth’s climate: Two secondary teachers’ implementation of a curriculum unit. Paper presented at the annual international meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Phoenix, AZ.

Carroll Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A. (2019, September). Model-based    teaching and learning about Earth’s climate: Two secondary teachers’ implementation of a curriculum unit. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Nebraska Academy of Science (NATS), Kearney, NE.

Carroll Steward, K., Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A. (2019, July). Model-based teaching and learning about Earth’s climate: Two secondary teachers’ implementation of a curriculum unit. Paper presented at Earth Educators’ Rendezvous (EER), Nashville, TN.

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A., Carroll Steward, K., & Sutter, A.M. (2019, April). Promoting model-based climate literacy in secondary geo-science classrooms. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Baltimore, MD.

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A., & Carroll Steward, K. (2019, April). Using a Global Climate Model, EzGCM to promote understanding of the Earth’s changing climate. Experiential session presented at the annual conference for National Science Teacher Education (NSTA), St. Louis, MO.

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M., Carroll-Steward, K. (2018, December). Student learning outcomes using model-based climate literacy in secondary geo-science classrooms. Poster presented at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), Washington, DC.

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C., Chandler, M., Carroll-Steward, K. (2018, November). Developing secondary students’ understanding of the Earth’s climate through computer-based global climate models. Paper presented at the 2018 Geological Society of America annual meeting (GSA), Indianapolis, IN.

Bhattacharya, D. Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A., Carroll-Steward, K., & Sutter, A.M. (2018, October). Promoting model-based climate literacy in secondary geo-science classrooms. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Spokane, WA.

Bhattacharya, D. Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M.A., Carroll-Steward, K., & Sutter, A.M. (2018, October). Student learning outcomes using model-based climate literacy in secondary geoscience classrooms. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), Spokane, WA.

Bhattacharya, D., Forbes, C.T., Chandler, M. & Roehrig, G. (2017, December). Promoting climate literacy among in-service secondary science teachers requires epistemological knowledge and understanding. Paper presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), New Orleans, LA.