OGAGAVWIARE, J. E., & DANIA, P. O. (2026). Relationship Among Teachers' Perceptions, Practices, and Integration of Climate Change Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum in Delta State. International Journal of Research, 13(7), 212–219. https://doi.org/10.26643/edupub/2026/2
OGAGAVWIARE, Jude Erhiga
Department of Social Science Education, Delta State
University, Abraka.
DANIA, Peter Ogbianigene
Department of Social Science Education, Delta State
University, Abraka.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship
among teachers’ perceptions, practices, and knowledge and the integration of
climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum in
Delta State, Nigeria. Three research questions and three corresponding
hypotheses guided the study. A correlational research design was adopted. The
population comprised 686 Upper Basic Social Studies teachers from 489 public
secondary schools in Delta State, and a sample of 137 teachers was selected
using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Teachers’ Perception, Practices and Integration of
Climate Change Education into Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum
Questionnaire (TPPICCEUBSSCQ). The instrument yielded Cronbach’s
alpha reliability coefficients of 0.78, 0.81, and 0.84 for the perception,
practice, and knowledge scales, respectively, indicating satisfactory
reliability. Data were analysed using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation,
coefficient of determination, and linear regression analysis at the 0.05 level
of significance. The results revealed significant positive relationships
between teachers’ perceptions, teaching practices, and knowledge and the
integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
curriculum in Delta State. The study concluded that positive teacher
perceptions, effective pedagogical practices, and adequate knowledge of climate
change issues are critical to the successful integration of climate change education
into Social Studies curriculum. It was therefore recommended that teachers receive
regular professional development opportunities and be encouraged to adopt
learner-centred instructional approaches to enhance the effective integration
of climate change education in schools.
Keywords:
Climate Change Education, Teachers’ Perceptions, Teaching Practices, Teachers’
Knowledge, Curriculum Integration, Social Studies, Upper Basic Education, Delta
State.
INTRODUCTION
Climate change has emerged as
one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century, impacting
ecological systems, economies, and societies worldwide. Education plays a
pivotal role in fostering awareness, understanding, and proactive engagement
among future generations. Integrating climate change education into school
curricula can empower students to comprehend the socio-economic and political
dimensions of climate issues (UNESCO, 2020). Social Studies should not be left
out.
Climate change education
refers to the process of providing individuals, particularly students, with the
knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and values necessary to comprehend
the causes, impacts, and responses related to climate change. It aims to raise
awareness about environmental issues, promote critical thinking about
sustainability, and encourage responsible actions to mitigate and adapt to
climate change. Essentially, climate change education empowers people to
participate actively in addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our
time by fostering informed decision-making and sustainable behaviours. In
Nigeria, particularly in Delta State, which has varied ecological zones and faces
environmental challenges such as flooding and erosion, there is growing
recognition of the need to expose learners to climate change-related knowledge
(Adelekan & Olanrewaju, 2022).
Teachers' perceptions of
climate change significantly influence how environmental issues are integrated
into educational practices, particularly within Social Studies curricula. As
primary agents of knowledge transmission, teachers' understanding, beliefs, and
attitudes toward climate change could either facilitate or hinder the
incorporation of critical environmental topics in the classroom (Mogaji &
Akinade, 2020). Recent studies underscore the importance of teachers’
perceptions, noting that their personal attitudes toward climate change often
shape their willingness and ability to address related issues with students
(Rahman et al., 2021).
Teachers’ practices refer to how they incorporate
climate change topics into their lessons. This encompasses their pedagogical
strategies, the materials they utilise, and the extent to which they integrate
interdisciplinary approaches. These practices are influenced by their
perceptions, as well as their perceived competence and comfort level with
climate change content (Chigozie & Eyikorogha, 2026). Teachers’ practices
are pivotal in shaping students’ understanding and engagement with climate
change. As primary facilitators of knowledge transmission, teachers shape how
learners present, contextualise, and internalise climate change concepts
(Pilotti & Al Ghazo, 2020).
Despite the recognised
importance of integrating climate change education into school curricula, many
teachers face challenges such as limited content knowledge, lack of resources,
and insufficient professional development opportunities (OECD, 2021). These
factors can hinder the integration of effective teaching practices and reduce
the impact of climate change education. Rising average temperatures, erratic
rainfall patterns, increased desertification, and recurrent extreme weather events
are already threatening the country’s agricultural productivity, water
security, biodiversity, and public health systems (Nwankwo & Eze, 2024; Ogunyemi, Adebayo &
Salawu, 2022). Accordingly, the
study investigated the relationship among teachers’ perceptions, practices, and
integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
curriculum in Delta State.
Research Questions
1.
What
is the relationship between teachers’ perceptions and integration of climate
change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum?
2.
What
is the relationship between teachers’ practical teaching and integration of
climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum?
Hypotheses
1.
There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ perceptions and integration of
climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum.
2.
There
is no significant relationship between teachers’ practical teaching and
integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
curriculum.
Methods
The study adopted a
correlational research design, which is considered appropriate for examining
relationships among naturally occurring variables within an educational
setting. This design allows the researcher to collect quantitative data from a
defined population and determine the strength and direction of relationships
among variables such as teachers’ perceptions, practices, and integration of
climate change education without manipulating them. The study population comprised 686 Upper Basic School
Social Studies teachers from all 489
public secondary schools in Delta State during the 2025/2026 academic session. The sample comprised 137 respondents, representing 20% of the total
population of 686 teachers in the study area. A stratified random sampling
technique was adopted for the study. The instrument used for data
collection was a structured questionnaire titled Teachers’ Perception, Practices and Integration of Climate Change
Education into Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum Questionnaire (TPPICCEUBSSCQ).
The reliability of the instruments was determined using Cronbach's alpha.
The data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social
Sciences (SPSS). The results yielded reliability coefficients of 0.78 for the
Teachers’ Perceptions and Integration of Climate Change Education Scale, 0.81
for the Teachers’ Practices and Integration of Climate Change Education Scale,
and 0.84 for the Teachers’ Knowledge and Integration of Climate Change
Education Scale. Since all the reliability indices exceeded the acceptable
benchmark of 0.70, the instruments were considered reliable and suitable for
data collection in the main study. Data obtained were analysed
using Pearson’s product-moment
correlation and coefficient of determination to answer the research questions,
while the hypotheses were tested using linear regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance.
Results
Research Question 1: What is the relationship between teachers’ perceptions and integration
of climate change education into upper basic Social Studies curriculum?
Table 1:
Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and
Coefficient of Determination on teachers’ perceptions and integration of
Climate Change Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum.
|
Variables |
N |
r |
r2 |
r2% |
Decision |
|
Teachers’ Perception |
137 |
0.708 |
0.501 |
50.1 |
High Positive Relationship |
|
Integration of Climate Change Education |
Table 1 shows an r-value of 0.708, indicating a strong
positive relationship between teachers’ perceptions and the integration of
climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum. The
coefficient of determination (r2) was 0.501, meaning teachers’
perceptions explained 50.1% of the variation in the integration of climate
change education. This indicates a high positive relationship between the two
variables.
Research Question 2: What is the relationship between teachers’ practical teaching and
integration of climate change education into upper basic Social Studies
curriculum?
Table 2:
Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient and
Coefficient of Determination on Teachers’ Practice and Integration of Climate
Change Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies Curriculum.
|
Variables |
N |
r |
r2 |
r2% |
Decision |
|
Teachers’ Perception |
137 |
0.512 |
0.262 |
26.2 |
Moderate Relationship |
|
Integration of Climate Change Education |
Table 2 shows an r-value of 0.512, indicating a
moderate relationship between teachers’ practice and integrating climate change
education into the Upper Basic Social Studies curriculum. The coefficient of
determination (r²) was 0.262, meaning teachers’ practice accounted for 26.2% of
the variation in integrating climate change education. This indicates a
moderate positive relationship between teachers’ practice and integration of
climate change education.
Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ perceptions and
integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
Curriculum.
Table 3:
Linear regression analysis on teachers’ perceptions
and integration of Climate Change Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
Curriculum.
|
Model |
Sum of Squares |
df |
Mean Square |
F |
Sig. |
|
Regression |
523.601 |
1 |
523.610 |
135.554 |
0.000 |
|
Residual |
521.471 |
135 |
3.863 |
|
|
|
Total |
1045.080 |
136 |
|
|
|
Table 3 shows the F-value of 135.554 and a p-value of
0.00. Testing the null hypothesis at an alpha level of 0.05, the p-value of
0.000 was less than the alpha level of 0.05. Hence, the null hypothesis is
rejected. This implies a significant relationship between teachers’ perceptions
and the integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic Social
Studies curriculum.
Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between teachers’ practical
teaching and integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic
Social Studies curriculum.
Table 4:
Linear regression analysis of teachers’ practical
teaching and integration of Climate Change
Education into the Upper Basic Social Studies
Curriculum.
|
Model |
Sum of Squares |
df |
Mean Square |
F |
Sig. |
|
Regression |
274.187 |
1 |
274.187 |
48.016 |
0.000 |
|
Residual |
770.894 |
135 |
5.710 |
|
|
|
Total |
1045.080 |
136 |
|
|
|
Table 4 shows the F-value of 48.016 and a p-value of
0.00. Testing the null hypothesis at an alpha level of 0.05, the p-value of
0.000 was less than the alpha level of 0.05. Hence, the null hypothesis is
rejected. This implies a significant relationship between teachers’ practical
teaching and the integration of climate change education into the Upper Basic
Social Studies curriculum.
Discussion of results
The findings of hypothesis one indicated a significant
relationship between teachers’ perceptions and the integration of climate
change education into the Social Studies curriculum in Upper Basic schools in
Delta State. This suggests that teachers’ perceptions strongly influence how they
incorporate climate change education into Social Studies lessons. This finding
aligns with Anyanwu and Njoku (2023), who reported that teachers’ awareness and
positive perception of climate change education contributed greatly to its
successful inclusion in Social Studies teaching. Their study explained that
teachers who view climate education as important are more willing to integrate
environmental issues into classroom discussions and learning activities.
The findings of hypothesis two indicated a significant
relationship between teachers’ practical teaching and the integration of
climate change education into the Social Studies curriculum in Upper Basic
schools in Delta State. The finding suggests that the practical teaching
methods teachers use greatly influence how climate change education is
integrated into classroom activities. This finding aligns with Mogaji and
Adedeji (2021), who found that teachers’ practical teaching approaches
contribute significantly to the successful implementation of climate change
education in secondary schools in Nigeria. Their study explained that
interactive teaching methods give students better opportunities to understand
climate-related challenges and their effects on society.
Conclusion
The findings suggest that teachers’ perceptions
strongly influence the integration of climate change education into the Upper
Basic Social Studies curriculum in Delta State. Teachers who view climate
change education as important and relevant are more willing to include
climate-related topics in their classroom teaching. The study also showed that
the methods and strategies teachers use in the classroom can either improve or
limit students’ understanding of climate change and environmental
sustainability.
Recommendation
Based on the findings, the study recommended that
teachers develop positive perceptions toward climate change education by
recognising its relevance to Delta State's environmental realities and the
importance of teaching climate-related issues at the Upper Basic level. Teachers
should make greater use of learner-centred and practical teaching approaches
such as multimedia resources, current environmental news, group discussions,
project-based learning, and field activities to improve students’ understanding
of climate change concepts. Educational stakeholders should organise regular
seminars, workshops, and in-service training programmes to improve teachers’
knowledge of climate change issues and strengthen their ability to integrate
climate change education effectively into Social Studies lessons.
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