Elementary Students's Awareness and Educational Effects of the 'Sunchoen Climate School' Environmental Education

순천시 기후학교 환경교육에 대한 초등학생들의 인식 및 교육효과

While global warming and climate change have been issues with global implications for ecology and nature as well as for the economy, politics and social sector, Korean's climate change awareness has been reported to be low. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that there is neither a systematic and continuous educational program for climate change nor a system to implement and support it. Although environmental education traditionally has not been a center of focus in most schools, the move towards "green growth" in national policies are slowly influencing school education as well. Throughout the year 2009, Green Suncheon 21 has offered a program called 'Suncheon Climate School' designed for elementary schools and regional centers for underprivileged children. Program instructors were sent to schools and centers that requested such climate change education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the success of the program and to provide feedback on its impacts. According to the study, students' interests in climate change have increased after the climate change education, and students found the lectures to be informative and interesting. Students said that they became more aware of the serious consequences of global warming and climate change and found that such education is beneficial and should be available to a wider population. This study suggests that first, school teachers should be aware of climate change and support such educational programs to be a part of the regular curriculum. Second, the content and the level of the program should be designed in consideration of the corresponding school curriculum to make the subject relevant and accessible to students.