Teacher conceptions of climate change and their role in climate change education: insights from Indonesian upper-secondary teachers

This study investigates Indonesian upper-secondary teachers’ conceptions of climate change and their willingness to implement climate change education. Recognising the pivotal role of climate change education in empowering students to address the climate crisis, this research emphasises the need to understand teachers’ perspectives for more effective design of educational policy and practice. Addressing a gap in the literature where previous studies predominantly focus on qualitative analyses of science teachers in developed countries, this study employs a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire survey of 329 teachers from diverse educational backgrounds. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships among cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions. The findings indicate that attitudes, self-efficacy, and situational support significantly influence teachers’ willingness to implement climate change education. A positive attitude towards climate change emerges as the strongest predictor of willingness to act, while cognitive factors (knowledge and perceived knowledge) indirectly shape this willingness through affective dimensions and self-efficacy. Despite high levels of climate change awareness, teachers exhibit significant knowledge gaps and persistent misconceptions, underscoring the need for enhanced formal training and resources. Furthermore, teachers’ emotional responses, marked by concern and mixed hope, further complicate implementation efforts. This study contributes a conceptual framework for examining teachers’ climate change conceptions across cognitive, affective, and behavioural dimensions. The findings not only advance our understanding of the unique challenges faced by teachers in developing countries but also offer critical insights that can inform the design of climate change education initiatives worldwide, particularly in regions where implementation is hindered by similar barriers to those observed in Indonesia.