Relationship Among Teachers’ Perceptions, Practices, and Integration of Climate Change Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum in Delta State.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship among teachers’ perceptions, practices, and knowledge and the integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum in Delta State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three corresponding hypotheses guided the study. A correlational research design was adopted. The population comprised 686 Upper Basic Social Studies teachers from 489 public secondary schools in Delta State, and a sample of 137 teachers was selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Teachers’ Perception, Practices and Integration of Climate Change Education into Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum Questionnaire (TPPICCEUBSSCQ). The instrument yielded Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients of 0.78, 0.81, and 0.84 for the perception, practice, and knowledge scales, respectively, indicating satisfactory reliability. Data were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation, coefficient of determination, and linear regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed significant positive relationships between teachers’ perceptions, teaching practices, and knowledge and the integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum in Delta State. The study concluded that positive teacher perceptions, effective pedagogical practices, and adequate knowledge of climate change issues are critical to the successful integration of climate change education into Social Studies curriculum. It was therefore recommended that teachers receive regular professional development opportunities and be encouraged to adopt learner-centred instructional approaches to enhance the effective integration of climate change education in schools.