This section shows:
- the role of each party involved
- the connections between the people involved
- that include climate change activities early on is important
- the role of teachers and
- the length each involved individual can and needs to go in order to address the issue.
Climate change affects all of us, so, therefore we are all actively involved in it.
Being aware of people and organisations involved in climate can help you show students how each of them can make a difference.
Activity: Play the video “Who is responsible for climate change? Who needs to fix it?”. Consider the role of national governments and local / regional authorities.
Teachers play a vital role in presenting information about climate to their students. In the video, a teacher, Thomas Isaac, talks about climate change education.
Explore the role of different types of individuals and organisation.
What makes climate change such a challenge?
In the context of climate change, misinformation and disinformation are used to cast doubt on well-supported scientific research and data.
Climate science denial concerns the rejection of scientific facts as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable truth.
It leads to activities which attempt to discredit climate science.
There are five elements that are used in arguments again scientific facts.
Source: https://skepticalscience.com/history-FLICC-5-techniques-science-denial.html
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According to Lee McIntyre, combating science denial requires engagement, trust, relationships and values. It can be best achieved by correcting the inaccuracies of the science and by pointing out the fallacies in the thinking employed by deniers.
Importance of misinformation
Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news.
Misinformation involves pieces of information that are incorrect. For example, individuals and organisations who have an interest will spin a story that is not true in order to support their own cause. They may also have help from influencers in reaching many people.
People are most likely to trust someone they are familiar with, hence influencers students find amusing may have an influence on them, and this is another way how information may be manipulated by and misinformation be spread.
Activity: Play the video to find out more about climate myths and misinformation
Activity: Examine some of the many myths on global warming and climate change from Skeptical Science.
Misinformation, myths and conspiracies around climate change exist, and once debunked in a fun way, students will remember them for longer.
Activity: Play the video where climate myths are debunked and consider the strategies being employed.
The “Fact-Myth-Fallacy” structure is recommended for debunking misinformation.
Source: https://skepticalscience.com/graphics/Debunking_Structure_med.jpg
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– Start by introducing the factual information in a memorable way.
– Explain why a common myth is incorrect.
– Explain the fallacy in the misinformation to help people understand why it is wrong.
Allowing students opportunities to do independent research is beneficial, guiding and showing them how to obtain valid and reliable information.
Activity: Explore some classroom activities on myths and misconceptions you could try out.