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International Journal of Recent Trends in Science and Technology, ISSN 2277-2812 E-ISSN: 2249-8109

Climate change and adaptation concepts: an indispensable curriculum innovation at higher and basic levels of education in developing countries of Africa

Introduction: This paper presents the outcome of an investigation that considered the current global changes in climate and discussed “climate change and adaptation concepts” for inclusion as innovations in curriculum planning, revision and implementation at both basic and higher levels of education in countries in Africa. This investigation was carried out in Nigeria, an African country and therefore considers African countries’, especially Nigerian educational system as possible areas where the suggested “climate change and adaptation concepts” could best be infused as innovations in curriculum provisions, curriculum revision, and implementation at both Basic and Higher levels of education. In this context, Africa countries are assumed to have approximately similar climatic conditions and can be considered together. The design employed in the investigation was a survey that involved the opinions of a randomly composed sample of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents to a questionnaire instrument developed by the researcher. The sample was made up 30 (thirty) higher education (University lecturers, 30 (thirty) College of Education lecturers, 30 (thirty) basic education (secondary education tutors) and 30(thirty) literate adult members of the public, all drawn from University of Nigeria town in Nsukka, Ehamufu College of Education, Secondary School in Nsukka and Adult members of the public within the metropolis. A total of 5(five) research questions were posed, a total of 20 (twenty) questionnaire items were used and 3(three) research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Data collected were analysed using some descriptive statistics like frequencies of the responses obtained on a 4-point likert scale, weighted average responses, as well as z-test statistic for answering the hypotheses formulated. Results obtained showed that all the items of the five research questions posed were considered acceptable by the three categories of respondents used in the study. Results also showed that there was no significant difference in the mean opinions of University lecturers, college of education lecturers, secondary education tutors and the literate adult members of the public that served as respondents to the questionnaire items. Recommendations made include that the performance objectives; content areas to be used; instructional methods for teaching and learning of the concepts; as well as evaluation techniques suggested be infused in the curriculum at both levels of education as innovations in Africa countries, especially in Nigeria.