eprintid: 10142639
rev_number: 7
eprint_status: archive
userid: 699
dir: disk0/10/14/26/39
datestamp: 2022-05-13 15:52:44
lastmod: 2022-05-13 15:52:44
status_changed: 2022-05-13 15:52:44
type: working_paper
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 699
creators_name: McCowan, Tristan
title: Climate change in higher education: a curriculum topography approach
ispublished: pub
divisions: B14
divisions: J80
divisions: B16
divisions: UCL
note: This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
abstract: Learning about climate change is widely recognised as an
important outcome for higher education students. However,
there is uncertainty as to the best way to incorporate issues of
climate into the curriculum, whether as a stand-alone module,
through infusion across courses, through interdisciplinary
provision, or informal activities. Furthermore, there is resistance
in some quarters to introduction of this content, on account
of the contested values involved, the overcrowding of the
syllabus, and lack of specialist experience. This paper addresses
the arguments for including climate change in the higher
education curriculum, assessing the different forms of learning
needed by citizens and professionals, the role of the university
as institution, and the different potential forms of integration.
The paper puts forward a proposal for a topography approach,
one that sees the role of the university not as teaching climate
change, but as curating a diverse environment of learning
experiences. The proposed framework sees learning as being
distributed across three spaces (classroom, campus and
community) and characterised by features of access (availability,
voluntariness and continuity), ownership (agency, malleability
and certification) and connection (embeddedness, application,
disciplinarity, transmodality, collaboration and experientiality).
While universities will display diverse topographies depending
on their contextual characteristics, there are important
normative considerations which must be taken into account,
namely: building on students’ existing knowledge, criticality,
non-coercion and epistemic pluralism.
date: 2021-10
date_type: published
publisher: Climate-U
official_url: https://www.climate-uni.com/resources
oa_status: green
full_text_type: pub
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1936878
lyricists_name: McCowan, Tristan
lyricists_id: TMCCO59
actors_name: McCowan, Tristan
actors_id: TMCCO59
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
series: Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate: Working Paper Series
number: 6
place_of_pub: London, UK
pages: 18
issn: 2754-0308
citation:        McCowan, Tristan;      (2021)    Climate change in higher education: a curriculum topography approach.                    (Transforming Universities for a Changing Climate: Working Paper Series  6). Climate-U: London, UK.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10142639/1/WP6%2C%20curriculum%20topography.pdf