KOREA ELEMENTARY TEACHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHING PRACTICES OF CLIMATE CHANGE

This study examines eighteen Korea elementary teachers’ knowledge and teaching practices of climate change using the KQEM survey, modified from the survey developed by Leiserowitz, A., Smith, N. & Marlon, J.R. (2010). The survey includes 11 questions from KQEM survey and 2 open ended questions that specifically ask about the teachers' knowledge of climate change and their understandings of important climate change concept for elementary students. All of the participant teachers were purposefully selected for the study and participated in the study voluntarily. The data for this study were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The result of this study indicates that the teachers have knowledge of climate change specifically about the topics of causes of climate change and consequences of climate change such as shifting biome and ecological impacts. While most of the teachers described climate change phenomena using scientific knowledge, some of the teachers (N=2) showed misconceptions about climate change phenomena. Most of the teachers thought the causes of climate change and potential solutions to reduce climate change are the most important concept that elementary students need to understand about climate change. Actually, most of the teachers are currently teaching the causes and consequences of climate change (N=13), and potential solutions to global warming (N= 8). This study could inform elementary science teacher educators about what elementary teachers understand about climate change and what elementary teachers are currently teaching about climate change.