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. 2021;1(7):174.
doi: 10.1007/s43545-021-00194-7. Epub 2021 Jul 21.

How do teachers' perceptions of climate change vary in terms of importance, causes, impacts and mitigation? A comparative study in Bangladesh

Mohammed Thanvir Ahmed Chowdhury  1 , Khandaker Jafor Ahmed  2 , Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed  1 , Shah Md Atiqul Haq  3
Affiliations

How do teachers' perceptions of climate change vary in terms of importance, causes, impacts and mitigation? A comparative study in Bangladesh

Mohammed Thanvir Ahmed Chowdhury et al. SN Soc Sci. 2021.

Abstract

Since climate change education is an integral element in the increasingly urgent global approach to solving the problem of climate change, understanding perceptions of climate change among teachers in different academic institutions could play a significant role in how and to what extent institutions address the need to educate learners on this subject, specifically, and participate in other climate change mitigation strategies, in general. This study, therefore, examines teachers' perceptions of climate change regarding its significance, causes, consequences, and mitigation, through analysis of a self-administered structured questionnaire completed by 95 teachers from public and private educational institutions in the city of Sylhet in Bangladesh. Results from descriptive and inferential statistical analysis show that public and private school teachers have an understanding of climate change regarding its significance, causes, consequences, and mitigation. The results also reveal that the sociodemographic characteristics of teachers, as well as academic-related factors, influence their perceptions of climate change. This research concludes that teachers in public institutions have a greater awareness and understanding of climate change than those working in private schools. The research findings have broader implications for further research and policy recommendations and, in particular, draw the attention of the Departments of Education and Disaster Management in Bangladesh or in countries with similar contexts to introduce environmental and disaster education and training opportunities for teachers.

Keywords: Bangladesh; Climate change education; Perceptions of climate change; Private schools and colleges; Public schools and colleges; Teachers.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interestAll authors do not have any conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Frequency distribution of responses to individual statements by type of institution
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Means scores of individual statements by type of institution
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Grouped mean score diagram of the importance of climate change and its causes, impacts and mitigation, by type of institution
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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