A Climate Change Education microsite which contains curated reference and supplementary learning materials has been created and launched by the Department of Education (DepEd) to enhance the integration of climate change in the basic education curriculum.
The Climate Change Education microsite is an initiative led by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DepEd-DRRMS) as a response to the immediate need for proactive response to the effects of climate change.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones praised the initiative.
“The urgency of protecting the environment has become much more evident,” she said.
“We have been surviving on a yearly basis; floods, earthquakes, storms have led to the destruction of our infrastructure, of buildings, and of course, the loss of lives,” she added.
The initiative, DepEd noted, is part of its commitment to intensify climate literacy and support climate action in the basic education sector by “honing learners and personnel who are climate literate and proactive in championing resilient and sustainable schools.”
The microsite is a repository of learning resources and references on climate change from partner organizations and institutions - including the Climate Change Commission (CCC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Association (PAGASA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation Inc. (OML Center).
The said microsite, found at https://www.deped.gov.ph/climate-change-education/, is divided into four main sections: DepEd-Developed Learning Resources (DDLRs); References for Teachers; External Learning Resources; and DepEd’s Program on Climate Change Education.
It also adheres to the fair-use policy on educational materials. DepEd said microsite also offers references on climate science, climate change in the Philippines, adaptation and mitigation, sample learning activities, and free online courses.
The references featured in the microsite are Open Educational Resources and can be used and redistributed these materials for free with proper citation.
DepEd added that the APA citations were already provided on the microsite for the convenience of its users.
DepEd-DRRMS also created a manual on how to navigate the microsite to guide the teachers. This can be can be accessed through bit.ly/micrositemanual.