Misconceptions about global climate change (GCC) are prevalent in the general public. One solution is to provide high school students with a better grounding in the basic science and data that underlie GCC. The overarching goal of Promoting Educational Leadership in Climate Change Literacy (PEL) is to increase GCC literacy in high school students, with focus on Hispanic students. To achieve these student learning outcomes, PEL aims to first increase the GCC content and pedagogical knowledge of high school teachers through their participation in professional development opportunities with the aim of increasing student achievement. Teachers will utilize an innovative GCC curriculum developed in three NASA GCCE projects. This curriculum will enable students to analyze and use NASA data to address commonly held misconceptions about GCC. Argumentation plays an important role in the PEL curriculum.

In a scientific argument, the controversy focuses on what data can or should be included and what inferences can be drawn based on a set of evidence. PEL will provide tools for students so they are able to refute poor scientific arguments. When students learn to construct a sound scientific argument, they demonstrate critical thinking and a mastery of the science content. Teachers are the key to implementation of the curriculum and a research-based professional development is central to achieving the goals of the project. The project involves a year-round approach to professional development starting with a summer institute for teachers and associated summer camp for students. The summer institute is an intensive GCC content learning experience with Collaborative Action Research Team (CART), a specialized professional learning community, modeling to discuss both content and pedagogy. The summer camp is an opportunity to teach GCC content to students with continuing CART discussions immediately after teaching experiences. An action research design will guide CART activities with the goal of teachers revising lesson plans.

The project support will follow participating teachers back at their school sites with periodic classroom visits by project teacher support personnel. This collaboration relies on a strong university-school partnership which PEL has established with the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD). Project goals include: 1) Increasing student interest in GCC science and STEM careers; 2) Closing the achievement gap in science for Hispanic students; 3) Establishing an authentic science discourse in everyday classroom instruction; 4) Building teacher GCC leadership capacity at their school sites; and 5) Increasing science teaching self-efficacy. PEL is a partnership among school districts and three NASA GCCE projects providing a robust GCC curriculum for teachers. Dr William Patzert, a NASA JPL scientist, and Dr. Brian Soden, both internationally recognized GCC experts, will co-present at summer institutes and provide access to NASA datasets. PEL addresses NASA Objective 2. Elementary and Secondary Education: Educator professional development long duration and curricular support resources. The project will impact 60 teachers and over 9000 students. The CART model has the potential to sustain and scale-up the GCC implementation even after the funding period. Robert Bleicher, Professor Science Education, CSU Channel Islands will serve as the PI on the project. Co-Is include: Bill Dabbs, Assistant Superintendent, OUHSD; Brian Soden, Professor Meteorology, U. of Miami; William Patzert, NASA Research Scientist at JPL; Julie Lambert, PI of Using NASA Data to Improve Climate Literacy; Daniel Zalles, PI of Data-Enhanced Investigations for CCE; and Steven Getty, PI of Carbon Connections.