Pre-service Teacher Climate Science Integration
The Gonzaga Institute for Climate, Water, and the Environment is currently partnering with the University of Washington’s Institute for Science and Math Education (ISME) to incorporate climate science education into pre-service teacher learning. The Climate Institute created and offered climate literacy instruction to Gonzaga students in training to become teachers (pre-service teacher candidates).
In collaboration with Dr. Jonas Cox and Dr. John Traynor in the Gonzaga School of Education, the Climate Institute is working to help to incorporate climate education into pre-service curriculum. The goal of this work is to give Gonzaga pre-service teachers the confidence and resources to thoughtfully incorporate climate science in their future classrooms.
Current Work
During the academic year, pre-service teachers received climate change lectures that focus on climate science basics, climate education pedagogy, and climate science epistemology. Students in the School of Education had the opportunity to partner with On Track Academy, a local Spokane Public School District High School. On Track and Gonzaga students attended two field trips to a local Waste to Energy facility and to a large-scale composting facility. The goal of the field trips was to introduce students to food waste and its contributions to climate change.
The Climate Institute also partners with the West Valley Outdoor Learning Center to bring students to Gonzaga University’s campus. Pre-service teachers at the School of Education teach fourth graders about climate science while engaging in hands-on learning activities outdoors.
