Award Abstract # 1331592
A Coordination Office for the Climate Change Education Partnership Alliance

NSF Org: RISE
Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER)
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
Initial Amendment Date: June 13, 2013
Latest Amendment Date: August 31, 2016
Award Number: 1331592
Award Instrument: Cooperative Agreement
Program Manager: Brandon Jones
mbjones@nsf.gov
 (703)292-4713
RISE
 Integrative and Collaborative Education and Research (ICER)
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: June 15, 2013
End Date: May 31, 2019 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $999,102.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $1,136,619.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2013 = $788,279.00
FY 2015 = $298,400.00

FY 2016 = $49,940.00
History of Investigator:
  • Gail Scowcroft (Principal Investigator)
    gailscow@uri.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Rhode Island
75 LOWER COLLEGE RD RM 103
KINGSTON
RI  US  02881-1974
(401)874-2635
Sponsor Congressional District: 02
Primary Place of Performance: University of Rhode Island
SOUTH FERRY ROAD
NARRAGANSETT
RI  US  02882-1197
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
02
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): CJDNG9D14MW7
Parent UEI: NSA8T7PLC9K3
NSF Program(s): Integrat & Collab Ed & Rsearch,
EPSCoR Co-Funding
Primary Program Source: 01001314DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01001516DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

01001617DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 017Z, 6891, 7556, 9150, 9179, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 769900, 915000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Climate Change Education Partnership Alliance (CCEPA) is a consortium made up of the six Phase II Climate Change Education Partnership (CCEP-II) program awardees funded in FY 2012. Collectively, the CCEPA is establishing a coordinated network devoted to increasing the adoption of effective, high quality educational programs and resources related to the science of climate change and its potential impacts. The establishment of a CCEPA Coordination Office addresses the need for a coordinating body that leverages and builds upon the CCEPA projects' individual initiatives. The CCEPA Coordination Office facilitates interactions to leverage a successful network of CCEP-II projects and individuals engaged in increasing climate science literacy. The efforts of the Coordination Office advance knowledge and understanding of how to effectively network related, but different, projects into a cohesive enterprise. The goal is to coordinate a functional network, where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

The CCEPA Coordination Office at the University of Rhode Island is helping to move the CCEPA network forward on a number of key initiatives that strengthen it, reduce duplication, and enhance its overall impact. An important role of the Coordination Office is the facilitation of the transfer of best practices between projects. An effective network forges collaborations and establishes communities of practice through network working groups, building intellectual capital network-wide. The CCEPA Coordination Office has a key role in assisting the CCEPA project PIs and staff to disseminate the results of their work. Partnerships with other relevant societies and organizations assist the Coordination Office in identifying opportunities and synergies for sharing, disseminating, and leveraging network products as well as best practices that emerge as Earth system science education models and tools are evaluated. This endeavor broadens the collective impact of the individual projects across the country.

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

In an effort to support innovative, multidisciplinary, educational approaches and deliver content in ways that result in informed decision-making, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded six research-driven Climate Change Education Partnerships (CCEP) that included teams of climate scientists; learning/social scientists; educational practitioners working in diverse settings, including the Pacific Islands, urban regions, and the North American Arctic; and state and national education networks. In addition, NSF funded an Alliance Office to foster collaborative interactions and activities among the projects.  

The CCEP Alliance Office facilitated ongoing communication among CCEP Projects through both virtual and face-to-face mechanisms.  Monthly calls engaged CCEP project team members.  Working groups were formed to work on specific Alliance tasks and achieve short-term goals. The Alliance Office coordinated and executed an annual Alliance meeting, where all project staff and partners, as well as people from the broader climate change education community participated. The meetings allowed for people to network and identify opportunities for collaboration and cross-pollination focused on specific themes.  Examples of themes included sea level rise, climate change solutions, and sustaining project activities.  The CCEP Alliance promoted and disseminated information and resources both among the CCEP projects and to additional stakeholder communities beyond the reach of the individual projects at many local, national, and international meetings and conferences.  

After five years of planning, implementing, testing, and revising CCEP programs, key lessons emerged across the projects that may benefit other existing or developing climate education programs. The Alliance collaborated to produce the Climate Change Education Effective Practices for Working with Educators, Scientists, Decision Makers and the Public guide (CCEP Guide) that highlights the group?s collective efforts and provides research-based recommendations to climate education and communication practitioners working with diverse audiences. At the core of all Alliance projects is the recognition that climate education programs have an opportunity and an obligation to identify and adapt their approach to their specific audiences. Each population has unique interests and motivations for learning about climate change. The CCEP Guide seeks to provide examples of tested models that illustrate climate change education in different situations. Case studies present approaches to interdisciplinary climate education and engagement, using games, maps, tours, interactive models, video, place-based learning, and many other learning tools. In addition to the activities and suggestions for education professionals, the guide also describes how climate science content can be translated into more accessible components and effective educational approaches for specific audiences. 

Cities are stepping up to address climate change impacts, serve as the primary incubators of social innovation, and generate new theories and experiments related to sustainable living. To support these ambitious climate change education, adaptation, and mitigation goals over the coming decades, investments in both making the case for climate action and creating inspirational and pedagogically sound climate education learning opportunities are a moral imperative and a great investment in our future. It was within this context that a group of leading U.S. climate change education networks, with the CCEP Alliance Office as the lead, planned the Climate Education and Opportunities Collective Impact Summit. The Summit, held at the Redford Center in Utah in September 2017, convened city-based teams of mayors, green economy business leaders, school district superintendents, and community foundations, as well as education program leaders who strategized means of strengthening the multi-decadal implementation of action plans and ideas generated during Summit discussions. 

The purpose of the Summit was to help cities and counties reach the net zero emissions by 2050 needed to achieve the Paris Agreement?s aspiration for a 1.5? cap. With effective climate change education, civic engagement, and workforce development, communities can reach their climate goals. The 2017 Summit supported municipal leaders for the coming decades by connecting them with national climate change education professionals who can help them to seize the opportunities of a post-carbon and climate resilient future. 

Building on the momentum of the Summit, the Alliance Office, with partners, executed an affiliate event held in conjunction with the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS). The Accelerating Climate Action: A Workshop for Community and Education Leaderswas a forum for leaders to showcase and explore models that build the social will and capacities needed to assist communities and businesses in reaching the net zero emissions by 2050 needed to achieve the Paris Agreement?s aspiration for a cap of 1.5 ? climatic warming. Participants worked together to develop options for integrating climate change education, community engagement, and workforce development activities into local climate action plans, with the goal of accelerating and supporting place-based climate solutions. 

Though the funding has ended, the work that the CCEP Alliance Office has completed continues to contributes to the climate change education community and Alliance resources will continue to inform decisions made by key stakeholders. The Alliance Office team is continuing to works with partners to further U.S. climate change education.


Last Modified: 09/27/2019
Modified by: Gail A Scowcroft

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