Teaching for a greener future: how hands-on learning enhances students’ climate change awareness in a Chinese middle school
Issue 395 | Page 63 | Published Nov 2025
Description
Abstract
This study explores how a localised, inquiry-based module enhanced climate awareness among 14- to 15-year-old students at a Chinese–English bilingual school. Learning was facilitated through hands-on activities, including community surveys (conducted in Mandarin), poster design, and presentations (in English). Pre-/post-test analyses revealed significant improvements in students’ knowledge (d = 2.41–2.87), behavioural intent (+58%), and solution specificity (+220%). Scaffolded language support (bilingual glossaries, CLIL strategies) mitigated second-language barriers. The findings highlight the effectiveness of applying inquiry-based, hands-on pedagogies in developing students’ environmental awareness, and offer practical recommendations for creating actionable pathways for climate education in multilingual contexts.
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