Teachers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Education in Oman

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Abstract
Climate change is increasingly considered to be a global threat to the environment and human activities. Therefore, raising awareness of climate change and incorporating it into the educational curriculum is crucial. This study investigated social studies and science teachers’ perceptions of various aspects of climate change education in Oman. Data were collected from 311 social studies and science teachers (Grades 5-12) using an online survey. The results showed that teachers agreed on many statements regarding climate change, including that climate change is happening; that human activities are the main cause of climate change, that there are risks of climate change for Oman, and that learning about climate change is important for students. The instructional methods most commonly used by teachers in both groups were discussion, current events, and small groups. On the other hand, the least used instructional methods were inviting climate experts/speakers to the classroom, field trips, and debates. Less emphasis was placed on certain teaching resources, such as geographical information systems and remote sensing. The study identified several challenges and opportunities related to teaching climate change. No statistically significant differences were found between social studies and science teachers’ perceptions of climate change education except in terms of teaching resources and opportunities for teaching climate change, which were significantly higher among social studies teachers. The findings of this study offer valuable information for curriculum developers on climate change education.

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