TY - JOUR
T1 - Climate change education and knowledge among Nigerian University Graduates
AU - Ayanlade, Ayansina
AU - Jegede, Margaret Olusolape
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Meteorological Society.
PY - 2016/10
Y1 - 2016/10
N2 - The introduction of climate change studies in universities has a fundamental role in helping the general public, especially the next generations, torecognize the global challenges of climate change and to find ways of adapting to the changing climate. This study examined the level of climate change education and perception of Nigerian university graduates. A mixed method approach was used to obtain data relating to perceptions, understanding, and level at which climate change has been taught in Nigerian universities. The results from this study revealed that about 70.7% of university graduates received brief lectures in some special elective courses during their university education, while only 4.1% were taught more than three semesters/terms in some special elective courses. It was also revealed that graduates from departments of environmental sciences have more class experience on climate change than students in the humanities and other faculties. The major finding of this study is that students appear far more informed about climate change, usually from the Internet and international media, than the level of climate change education they were taught in university. These results show the need for the introduction of climate change studies in Nigerian universities, with over 71% of participants believing that climate change studies should be included as a required course in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
AB - The introduction of climate change studies in universities has a fundamental role in helping the general public, especially the next generations, torecognize the global challenges of climate change and to find ways of adapting to the changing climate. This study examined the level of climate change education and perception of Nigerian university graduates. A mixed method approach was used to obtain data relating to perceptions, understanding, and level at which climate change has been taught in Nigerian universities. The results from this study revealed that about 70.7% of university graduates received brief lectures in some special elective courses during their university education, while only 4.1% were taught more than three semesters/terms in some special elective courses. It was also revealed that graduates from departments of environmental sciences have more class experience on climate change than students in the humanities and other faculties. The major finding of this study is that students appear far more informed about climate change, usually from the Internet and international media, than the level of climate change education they were taught in university. These results show the need for the introduction of climate change studies in Nigerian universities, with over 71% of participants believing that climate change studies should be included as a required course in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85015390410&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1175/WCAS-D-15-0071.1
DO - 10.1175/WCAS-D-15-0071.1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85015390410
SN - 1948-8327
VL - 8
SP - 465
EP - 473
JO - Weather, Climate, and Society
JF - Weather, Climate, and Society
IS - 4
ER -