This study by Verlie et al. investigates how environmental educators are responding to their students' ecological distress, including eco-anxiety and climate grief. The researchers surveyed 32 educators in eastern Australia, primarily from universities and secondary schools, about their experiences and strategies for addressing students' emotional responses to climate change and other ecological crises.
The study found that educators perceived their students as experiencing a range of intense emotions when engaging with ecological issues, most commonly feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, anxious, angry, sad, and frustrated. Educators reported paying considerable attention to their students' emotional responses, gauging them through verbal and non-verbal cues.
The research identified several challenges educators face in responding to students' ecological emotions:
- Time constraints and crowded curricula
- Concerns about professional norms and maintaining neutrality
- Educators' own emotional distress and feelings of inadequacy
- Lack of knowledge or guidance on how to respond effectively
- Systemic climate denial in broader society and educational networks
Despite these challenges, educators employed a range of strategies to support their students, which the researchers categorized into four main approaches:
- Engage: Encourage students to explore and reflect on their emotions through discussion, critical thinking, and creative expression.
- Validate: Acknowledge and normalize students' emotional experiences, creating space for open dialogue and sharing vulnerabilities.
- Support: Provide care, help build supportive communities, and enable students to resource themselves appropriately.
- Empower: Connect students to opportunities for action, showcase role models, and explore alternatives to the status quo.
These strategies aimed to cultivate "active hope" – a combination of concern, inspiration, determination, and action that enables students to respond constructively to climate change.
Successful examples highlighted in the study include:
- Using inquiry and problem-based learning to explore alternatives and solutions
- Incorporating mindfulness and meditation to help students attune to their emotions
- Connecting students with youth climate action groups
- Implementing school-based environmental projects
The authors conclude that integrating emotional engagement into climate change education is crucial for supporting students to navigate the complex psychological terrain of the climate crisis. They suggest that more time, resources, and professional development opportunities are needed to better equip educators for this challenging work.
The study provides valuable insights for environmental educators, communicators, and others seeking to support people in responding to ecological distress. It emphasizes the importance of moving beyond simply conveying information about climate change to actively engaging with the emotional dimensions of the crisis.
The Bottom Line
This study explores how environmental educators are responding to their students' eco-anxiety and climate grief. Through a survey of 32 educators in eastern Australia, the research investigates educators' perceptions of students' ecological emotions, the challenges they face in addressing these emotions, and the strategies they employ. The study highlights that students commonly experience feelings of being overwhelmed, hopeless, anxious, angry, sad, and frustrated when engaging with ecological crises. Educators' strategies for responding to their learners' needs included encouraging students to engage with their emotions, validating those emotions, supporting students to navigate and respond to those emotions, and empowering them to take climate action. The research emphasizes the importance of cultivating "active hope" – a combination of concern, inspiration, determination, and action. While educators felt that supporting their students to face and respond to ecological crises was extremely challenging, they identified valuable approaches for fostering emotional resilience and empowerment in the context of climate change education.