This study investigated which characteristics of informal learning experiences effectively motivate people to take climate action. Researchers surveyed 51 visitors to the Climate Action Show at Science North in Sudbury, Ontario to determine what aspects of the experience inspired them to combat climate change.
Twelve characteristics were identified as motivating climate action, with the most frequently mentioned being:
- Presentation of scientific evidence (28% of responses)
- Showing specific climate change impacts like melting permafrost and forest fires (23%)
- Emphasizing the severity and urgency of climate change (20%)
- Optimistic and inspiring tone (11%)
- Concern for children and future generations (11%)
- Interactive elements (9%)
- Providing specific actions people can take (8%)
Types of Actions Visitors Planned to Take:
- 79% planned to reduce their personal carbon footprint (driving less, adopting plant-based diets, using energy-efficient technology)
- 44% intended to reduce waste production (less single-use plastic, reducing food waste)
- Only 21% mentioned social or community-level actions (educating others, participating in regreening initiatives)
Unique Aspects of Informal Settings: The researchers identified several features particularly suited to informal learning environments:
- Family learning context where children's interest often motivated adults to act
- Freedom to choose which topics to explore (the show allowed visitors to select which climate impacts and solutions to learn about)
- Interactive, hands-on approach that fostered engagement
- Balance between presenting scientific evidence of climate change and offering solutions
Suggested Improvements: Visitors recommended several ways to enhance the show:
- Include more information about climate impacts and actions (36%)
- Present more examples of small, everyday actions individuals can take (22%)
- Add content levels better suited to children (16%)
- Include takeaway materials or audience engagement components (14%)
Implications for Environmental Educators
The findings offer valuable insights for designing effective climate change education:
- Balance Information and Action: Present accurate scientific evidence while also providing specific, actionable strategies. While knowledge alone doesn't drive action, it remains an important foundation when paired with solutions.
- Create Interactive, Choice-Based Experiences: Allow visitors to select topics of interest and engage them through hands-on, interactive experiences rather than passive learning.
- Use Emotional Approaches Strategically: Present the severity of climate change impacts honestly but follow with positive solutions to avoid overwhelming audiences. The study found that showing real climate impacts motivated action when balanced with an optimistic tone.
- Leverage Family Dynamics: Design experiences that engage entire families, as many parents reported being motivated to act by their children's interest or concern for future generations.
- Include Both Individual and Collective Actions: While most visitors gravitated toward individual actions, educators should also emphasize collective, higher-impact strategies to overcome the barrier of individuals focusing primarily on small personal changes.
- Provide Local Context: Connect climate information to visitors' local environment and community to increase relevance (the show incorporated Sudbury's successful regreening story).
- Offer Multi-Level Content: Include content appropriate for different age groups to engage children and help parents communicate climate concepts effectively.
The researchers note that future studies should examine whether participants follow through on their intentions and develop methods to evaluate which characteristics motivate the most impactful types of climate action. They also recommend longitudinal research to verify that participants actually implement the climate actions they report planning to take.
The study demonstrates that informal learning settings offer unique advantages for climate change education by creating family-focused, interactive experiences that can translate knowledge into motivation for climate action.
The Bottom Line
This study investigated which characteristics of informal learning experiences effectively motivate people to take climate action. Researchers surveyed 51 visitors to the Climate Action Show at Science North in Sudbury, Ontario to determine what aspects of the experience inspired them to combat climate change. The findings revealed that 92% of visitors felt motivated to take climate action after attending the show. Twelve different characteristics were identified as influential, including presentation of scientific evidence, emphasis on climate change severity, showing specific climate impacts, optimistic tone, and interactive elements. Most visitors planned to take individual actions like reducing their carbon footprint, while fewer indicated plans for collective community-level action. The study demonstrates that informal learning environments like science centers offer promising avenues for actionable climate change education, particularly when they engage entire families and balance scientific evidence with solutions that instill hope and agency.