How to Create High-Quality Educational Resources on Climate Change?

Climate change education presents a significant challenge: how can we make complex and constantly evolving science accessible while providing concrete, classroom-ready teaching tools? At the Office for Climate Education (OCE), we have chosen a rigorous design process based on the latest scientific knowledge, proven pedagogical expertise, and systematic field validation. Simon Klein, Science Officer at the OCE, tells us more.

From Science to Pedagogy: A Commitment to Rigor

Our resources are based on the work of the IPCC, of which the OCE is an Observer Organization. This allows us to closely follow the latest scientific publications and translate them into educational materials tailored for teachers. However, simply providing teachers with access to scientific literature is not enough: the knowledge produced by scientific teams must not only be made accessible for teachers' own scientific literacy but also transformed into classroom activities that are relevant and engaging for students.

Our goal is to support teachers in understanding and conveying climate science by linking it to real-world climate change issues in their environment. To achieve this, we emphasize interdisciplinarity and active pedagogical approaches, such as inquiry-based learning and project-based pedagogy, which foster exploration and knowledge appropriation. We also consider the development of socio-emotional skills an essential lever for nurturing students' critical thinking and strengthening their engagement.

All our resources are free, available in multiple languages, and published under an open license, ensuring their broad dissemination and adaptation. We are committed to making these tools accessible to all teachers, regardless of their location or resources, so they can fully benefit from them in their teaching practices. The multilingual adaptation ensures that content remains relevant and suitable for diverse educational contexts worldwide.

Furthermore, our pilot projects incorporate local adaptation processes in close collaboration with partner institutions. The objective is to ensure that these resources are fully relevant and appropriate for each context. This involves integrating concrete examples rooted in the local geographical and cultural framework, as well as adapting to the specificities of the school system.

Discover how our teaching guides have been adapted in Mexico and Colombia.

A Rigorous and Iterative Creation Process

Each resource we publish is the result of two years of work and involves a wide range of expertise. It all begins with the development of a conceptual framework, structured around key knowledge to be conveyed. Next comes the construction of the educational plan: which activities will allow students to explore these concepts actively? What materials (experiments, case studies, role-playing games) will facilitate their understanding? We share this methodology through teacher training workshops.

Once the content is drafted, it undergoes an initial validation by our Scientific and Pedagogical Committee, composed of international experts from various fields: educators, climatologists, oceanographers, social science specialists, and more. This diversity of perspectives ensures a balanced and rigorous approach, combining scientific accuracy with best teaching practices. However, this is only the first step—our guides are then systematically tested by teachers in different countries and school contexts. Their feedback is essential: it helps refine instructions, adjust difficulty levels, and optimize learning progressions.

This iterative process ensures that each resource is not only scientifically accurate but also truly usable and effective in an educational setting. Finally, our approach does not stop there: we conduct in-depth work on graphic design to optimize accessibility, clarity, and visual appeal. Whether manuals, videos, or animations, every visual element is designed to facilitate the understanding of concepts, enhance student engagement, and accommodate the realities of teachers' work. Layout, color choices, graphics, and illustrations are carefully studied to provide intuitive, cohesive, and adaptable resources for various teaching contexts.

Providing Meaningful Support to Teachers

Today, when we talk about climate change education, we are preparing future citizens capable of understanding the issues, critically analyzing information, and imagining solutions to current and future challenges.

That is why we do not stop at producing resources. We also support teachers through training, webinars, and partnerships with institutions worldwide. A resource, no matter how well-designed, only has an impact if it is in the hands of a teacher who takes ownership of it and brings it to life in the classroom.