King's academics tackle: How could science educators respond to socio-ecological issues

Chair of CRESTEM, Professor Heather King, and the Chair of Stockholm Science Education Unit, Professor Anna Danielson, introduced academics from both universities who delivered six presentations looking at tools to adopt in education practices to support the teaching of socio-ecological issues in schools.

Educators from CRESTEM delivered the following presentations:

• 'Science is all around us' - science walk, Lucy Wood, Chemistry PGCE director
• Trees - what can they teach us?, Rachel Davies, Biology PGCE director
• Exploring Sustainable Energy Use with Construction Toys, Alex Hadwen-Bennett, MA STEM Education: Making & Creating module led

The Stockholm Science Education Unit's educators also gave the following three presentations:

• Outdoor science, a way to reconnect with nature, Anna Carin Nyberg, Lecturer in science education
• Exploring cycles of matter: fire and haiku poems, Charlotta Billing, Lecturer in science education
• Five forms of participation in education for sustainability. The didactical "how question" as a planning tool, Iann Lundegård, Associate professor in science education

The seminar concluded with group reflections on the usefulness of the materials and theoretical tools shared. The question of 'how' best to teach socio-ecological issues within science was considered important to return to and colleagues looked forward to future opportunities to work together on these fundamental global issues.

The seminar was hosted by CRESTEM and Research and Education for Socio-Ecological Transformations (RE-SET).