Philippine E-Journals

Teachers’ Fidelity in Enhancing Climate Change Education Competences in Dodoma Tanzania

Abel John Kisanga | Prosper Gabrieli | Mary B Allay

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

The success of a curriculum depends on its effective planning and faithful implementation. Teachers’ fidelity is critical for achieving sustainable educational outcomes, particularly in climate change education (CCE). This study investigates teachers’ fidelity in implementing climate change education in advanced secondary schools in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative approach alongside a case study design, to collect empirical data within the specific context of teaching and learning space dynamic in Tanzania. Data collection involved a documentary review of the Tanzanian advanced secondary school Geography syllabus, fourteen lesson plans, and schemes of work, complemented by interviews with 20 teachers from ten randomly selected schools in Dodoma region. Findings reveal that teachers’ limited foundational knowledge and insufficient facilities in teaching space dynamics mainly contributes to low-fidelity in CCE curriculum implementation. 66.7 percent of the intended objectives were inadequately planned in the teachers’ lesson plans while 57.1 percent of the teachers’ lesson plans did not consider the intended competence. Again, 35.7 of practical oriented objectives were not planned in any of the analyzed lesson plans, Teachers’ instruction prioritizes examination performance at the expense of competency development. The study concludes that CCE competences are vital in fostering environmental sustainability. Therefore, teachers’ low-fidelity in implementing CCE and its context underscore the urgent need to strengthen national and institutional budget allocation for a targeted teacher professional learning programme and enhance monitoring and evaluation. This will eventually enhance teachers’ pedagogical competence of CCE and ensure teachers high fidelity in implementing CCE.