ABSTRACT
In this advanced review, we reflect on our own teaching and synthesise recent scholarship on higher education practices in order to examine the place of the teacher in environmental communication pedagogy. Most prior studies of environmental communication pedagogy have addressed on-campus or in-the-field teaching, with little attention paid to the challenges and opportunities of online or blended learning. We argue that environmental communication pedagogy must be reassessed in the context of the shift toward online instruction that the COVID-19 pandemic prompted, and we undertake this reassessment with a particular emphasis on the teacher's "place.” Through a review of three different modalities of teaching, we propose a transportive lens for understanding the place of the teacher in environmental communication pedagogy, which takes into account the teacher's place within the learning environment and acknowledges their role in guiding the movement of learners through pedagogic environmental communication places and praxis. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
Confronting the existential threat of climate and ecological crises in undergraduate teaching presents complex challenges. Educators in environmental and climate change studies rightly communicate the scale and urgency of these unfolding crises, yet at times fail to take into account the emotional and mental health impacts upon students acquiring this knowledge. This article examines the affective dimensions of learning in ‘crisis subjects'. It draws insights from case study research on the experience of Australian university teachers and students in a subject called Environmental Communication, delivered during a period of intersecting crises: climate-change driven drought, catastrophic bushfires, and the emergence of Covid-19. The psychoanalytic concept of ‘difficult knowledge' (Britzman, 1998;2004) is taken up to shed light on the inherent challenges of teaching and learning in this context. Many students in the study were deeply affected by their learning experience, and recognise its importance, but also struggle to integrate it with anticipated future roles. The authors argue that students and educators need new knowledge, capacities and resources to address the affective dimension of teaching and learning and to grapple with the collective social trauma of the climate crisis. © 2022, Adult Learning Australia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The emergence of Covid-19 demonstrates a breakdown in humanity's relationship with the natural world (Frumkin and Myers, Planetary health: protecting nature to protect ourselves, pp 487–496, 2020). Escaping the “Pandemic Era” will need transformational adjustments and a profound rethinking of our connection with nature (The Lancet Planetary Health, Lancet Planet Health 5(1):E1, 2021;Harris, Participatory media in environmental communication, 2019). Considering how demanding—and at the same time unique this time is- early Anthropocene 2.0 consciousness is a concept worth exploring. Anthropocene 2.0 requires the development of communication skills on issues of environmental and public health concern. Our global health research and training communities and institutions must examine, reflect on, and reform the methods through which we promote and maintain planetary health (Haldane and Berry, The Lancet Planetary Health 5:E10, 2021). Professionals must successfully translate science, convey costs and benefits, and involve stakeholders in pressing environmental issues. Lessons from the pandemic emphasize the significance of systems thinking, the need for collaborative action, and the potential of rapidly changing global behavior. The present Covid-19 “silent period” offered a unique chance to launch a new graduate program in Environmental Communication and Health Promotion at the University of West Attica in Greece. It is critical to know the profile characteristics of those who were selected to attend this graduate program. The pertinent information will give a clear understanding of why people choose the specific field of study. This paper evaluates trainees’ health consciousness, environmental awareness, pro-environmental behavior, environmental activism, and personal values. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
This science communication case study analyzes an online international co-taught course where students practiced blog article conceptualization and production covering a wide variety of science and technology related issues. Students had an international experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and gained experience in communicating science and technology to intercultural audiences. Through student article reviews, course evaluations and project reflections students demonstrated an adoption of new science communication skills and some key examples of changing perspective on issues such as environment and technology. They also enjoyed the opportunity to learn about new cultures, reflect on their own, and bond over life experiences. Copyright © 2022 van Kempen, Kristiansen and Feldpausch-Parker.