Understanding teacher agency in the context of school‐based climate change and sustainability education
A case study of the experiences of teachers and school students in England
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11159778 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nicola Walshe (0000-0003-2123-4853, Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, Institute of Education University College London London UK, corresponding author), Elizabeth A C Rushton (0000-0002-6981-8797, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 886-910 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-02 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | British Educational Research Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0141-1926 • E-ISSN: 1469-3518 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/berj.70036 |
| OpenAlex | W4414749567 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 40 |
Drawing on teacher agency as a conceptual framework, we explored the extent to which school teachers in secondary schools in England achieve agency in relation to teaching climate change and sustainability. This research provides a novel approach to understanding the relational and emergent qualities of teacher agency by bringing together insights from both teachers and school students (aged 11–14 years). Data were gathered through two separate online surveys with teachers ( n = 870) and school students aged 11–14 years ( n = 2429). Teachers and students articulated a range of material, structural and cultural barriers and enablers to achieving agency, with areas of agreement and divergence. While students were able to articulate different pedagogical approaches to improve the teaching of climate change and sustainability, teachers were more focused on the types of support they needed in their roles. This approach uncovers the everyday practices of teacher agency which students notice but that might not be visible to teachers. This research underlines the need for teachers in secondary school settings of all subjects to have the time and support to engage in high‐quality professional learning which builds knowledge and understanding of climate change and sustainability and develops their confidence to implement a range of pedagogical approaches which engage all children and young people
Agency (philosophy) · Context (archaeology) · Context effect · Environmental education · Notice · Professional development · Semi-structured interview · Sustainability · Teacher education · Early Childhood Education and Development · Educational Environments and Student Outcomes · Environmental Education and Sustainability
Teachers’ professional agency and learning – from adaption to active modification in the teacher community
Teacher Agency
The role of beliefs in teacher agency
A cross-country comparison of climate change in middle school science and geography curricula
A systematic review of climate change education
Identifying effective climate change education strategies
It’s the way they do it’
Place-responsive Pedagogies in the Anthropocene
Young people’s experiences of participation in ecological restoration
It’s about time
Curriculum making and climate change and sustainability education
Teaching action-oriented knowledge on sustainability issues
The views of teachers in England on an action-oriented climate change curriculum
It Can't Just Be the Younger People”
Exploring strategies to sustain teacher agency in the context of ‘hyper-accountability’
What are topic emotions? A comparison of children's emotional responses to climate change, climate change learning and climate change picturebooks
Context, culture and critical thinking
Putting climate change at the heart of education
The purpose of activism is to educate”
Teacher Agency Following the Ecological Model
Place-responsive pedagogy
The teacher's soul and the terrors of performativity
A sociocultural approach to understanding teacher identity, agency and professional vulnerability in a context of secondary school reform
Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis
Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |