Alan Gould Global Systems Science Project Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California Berkeley Lifelines for High School Climate Change Education Establish high school teacher professional learning communities (PLCs) to share ideas & identify best ways to include climate change education in existing courses. Identify best strategies for distance-meetings. Connect teachers with climate scientists. Goals: 1 globalsystemsscience.org A NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) Project

Original plan called for 3 tiers: LHS organizers PLC Leaders PLC Members 2

Google Site for PLC Leaders, with meeting notes, a page for each leader, and links each PLC website. Photo name tag page helpful for seeing what everyone looks like during telecons. 3

Separate Google Site for PLC teachers nationwide to post course outlines globalsystemsscience.org/ courses-lifelines/ 4

“Resources” section of Courses site has 3 categories: Activities Information Multimedia 1.Tried and true teacher- tested resources 2.Resources under consideration, but not yet used by PLC teachers. 5

National Lifelines given by scientists or educators… 4 most recent: SatCam by Margaret Mooney, U of WI 2013 Jan 29 Marcellus Shale by Don Duggan- Haas, 2012 Dec 13 Picture Post by Annette Schloss 2012 Nov 20 Movie Tracker Software by John Pickle 2012 Sep 25. 6

Resource for high school climate change education: Global Systems Science student books online with Investigations—Lab or Home Issues of Science and Society History Recent Science Field Trip 7

PLC leader interview findings 1 Successes being able to bring together colleagues interested in the topic of Climate Change Science. they were able to meet by telecon, so the leaders were not limited by their geographical location. members did not have to drive; this especially benefited participants who live long distances from each other. 8 Cartoon from Global Systems Science Climate Change book chapter 10 leaders felt they were able to benefit in some way from interacting with PLC members, either by learning about additional resources, exchanging their experiences with classroom lessons, or discussing publications such as reports and books addressing issues related to Climate Change Science.

Interview findings 2 Recruitment challenges Most PLCs had fewer than 10 participants, and only a subset of participants consistently took part in the meetings. Many teacher applicants expressed interest in learning about Climate Change Science, but did not actually show up for the telecon meetings. 9 Cartoon from Global Systems Science Climate Change book chapter 10 EXCEPT: one PLC started for a pre-existing grant in need of a communication platform, which Lifelines provided. "If we didn’t have a PLC, we’d be really weak as a project because we would’ve lost communication. We send out s, but voice is far better. I don’t know what we would have done with out the Lifelines PLC. Maybe something else, but it was the perfect piece that we needed."

Interview findings 3 Reasons teachers cannot attend meetings: Scheduling difficulties—finding time to meet. "Meeting first in person and then meeting online would work better. If I know the people first, then I’ll be more willing or able to talk with them online once we’ve met in person.” 10 “Seems like teachers have teaching materials--they have what they need. But they’re so busy and trying to teach it and do it well. They are involved in so many things. Climate change is only one topic, and it comes up once a year for 2 weeks.” “I really liked the online platform & thought it had great potential, but it’s still scary for other folks. It’s an idea whose time has come, but…the tech level of teachers is not there. They say having teleconferences is a nice idea, but they’re thinking, “Another meeting with technology that I’m not comfy with? With strangers? …Sharing stuff? No, I’ve got better things to do.”

2012 Survey 11 Courses in which climate change is being taught

2012 Survey 12

2012 Survey How much time can you actually spend on the topic of Global Climate Change in your course(s)? 13

2012 Survey 14

2012 Survey What are the best ways to participate in a PLC? 15

2012 Survey Should PLCs be school-­based, district­-based, statewide, nation-side, interdisciplinary, or discipline­ focused? 16

2012 Survey Is it better to have a PLC that is topic-specific, like climate change, or one that addresses a broader topic? 17

2012 Survey When the Lifelines grant ends, who or what should host a PLC: school, district, state, or national organization? 18

2012 Survey 19

What do you think? 20 Should LHS projects work to establish PLCs With remote meetings? With discussions? With websites featuring participants’ contributions?