Martha Monroe Workshop

In May, we had the opportunity to meet Martha Monroe, Professor of Environmental Education at the University of Florida, School of Forest Resources and Conservation.

Martha led a two-day workshop at the University of Vienna, focused on the dimensions and possibilities of climate action. Together, we explored how to encourage students and teachers to incorporate action competence into education. By practicing action competencies, students become better equipped to act as engaged and active citizens.

Martha also shared insights from North American research, which reveals that the main motivation for climate action often stems from emotions related to climate change. While schools are traditionally places for working with facts, training the brain, and using rational thinking, it is essential not to overlook the role of emotions—both comforting and challenging—in learning and action.

She also introduced a variety of practical resources to help educators design effective climate change lessons. The effectiveness of different strategies depends more on the learning goals than on students’ abilities. Here are some useful links she shared with us:

• https://subjecttoclimate.org/ (free lesson plans)
• https://www.climetime.org/
• https://cleanet.org/index.html
• https://climate.nasa.gov/for-educators/
• https://www.climate.gov/teaching
• https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools

If you’d like to learn more about Martha’s ideas and research, we recommend listening to a podcast episode prepared by Céline Vander Elst from Utrecht University.