Climate Action Junior Cycle short course

  

What is the Climate Action short course?

To know more about this project, download`the Course Specification here and the Assessment Guidelines here

The course specification and assessment guidelines have been developed in alignment with the NCCA
guidelines template and informed by feedback from 100 hours of engagement over the three years of the
Junior Cycle.

The learning approach to this short course has been developed as a means by which students can be
equipped in a practical and emotional way for engagement with climate action and lifelong active global
citizenship. The course develops root-cause understandings of the climate crisis, introduces critical thinking
and reflection skills and other key organisational skills, for students to then plan their collective actions on their
chosen topic of interest.. Students can investigate practical examples of interest such as fast fashion, transport
or the food industry. They will also learn about local and global climate movements to gain insight to later plan
their actions. This approach is participatory, full of meaning, and empowering for young people.

The approach integrates influences from various fields of education and is rooted in holistic learner-
centred education, transformational learning, democratic global citizenship, and place-based
education. This participatory methodology is meaningful, engaging, and empowering for young people.
The objectives of this pilot programme are to strengthen teacher capacity through training and peer
learning while providing schools with high-quality resources to support climate action education.   A
comprehensive set of materials is available for the entire three-year Junior Cycle, carefully structured into
weekly activities to facilitate both teaching and student learning.

 

 

 

Why this course?

Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity in modern times. It is a challenge that touches all aspects of our society and our personal lives – from where and how we live, what career we pursue to how we feel about ourselves and sense of connection and solidarity with other people. Young people today are more affected by climate change than previous generations.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This course aims to support learners to develop the knowledge, skills, values and motivation for climate action, and to empower themselves to become life-long participants in social change towards a sustainable and just world for all by creating space and experiences that support learners to develop personal motivations for climate action and become organisers for social change; explore root causes of climate change and linked global injustices; and develop visions of positive futures.

 

 

Learning Approach

Responding adequately to climate change and reaching a goal of youth empowerment requires educators and school communities to draw deeply on established knowledge and skills as well as significant new learning. The learning approach to this short course has been developed as a means by which students can be equipped in a practical and emotional way for engagement with climate action and lifelong active global citizenship.