Comparative and International Education Society (CIES),
68th Annual Conference | THE POWER OF PROTEST
10-14 March 2024 (Eastern Standard Time)
Session title: Round table discussion on indoor classroom temperature and learner outcomes in schools: Experiences and reflections from the global south
Part A
Session abstract: Maintaining thermal comfort in school buildings is challenging in a changing climate. This is mainly because school infrastructure and learning environments are not climate-sensitive, as school building design and classroom characteristics impact indoor classroom temperatures. There is a close relationship between temperature and relative humidity versus learner outcomes. This poses severe challenges for school children, teachers, education actors and practitioners and calls for adaptive approaches by players to reduce heat stress and improve learning outcomes in Africa.
The proposed facilitated round table will engage participants in reflecting on the classroom temperature and learner outcomes nexus, experiences and evidence on what works, adaptation strategies to reduce heat stress and policy options in the West and East African context. The round table will bring together education experts, practitioners, scholars and other interested participants: in education in the African context, the impact of climate change on learning, the challenges anticipated in affordable adaptation options and opportunities that exist for the global north in working with the global south to improve thermal comfort, learning outcomes and policy impact in Africa.
The discussion is expected to ignite conversations on affordable and sustainable adaptation options for improved children's learning outcomes on the continent and collaborative initiatives between the global north and global south actors.
Session outcomes: By the end of the round table discussions, participants will have:
1. a deeper understanding of the indoor classroom temperature and learner outcomes nexus in Africa compared to the global north.
2. better appreciation of how building designs and classroom characteristics affect West and East African heat stress.
3. a clear understanding of the various adaptation and policy options in improving learning outcomes in the global south through collaboration with the global north
Part B
Session description: The discussion will begin with a seven (7) minutes session to give some background information on the status of learning on the continent. Participants will then be grouped into four (4) groups to engage in the discussion based on pre-determined discussion questions. Each group will discuss for forty (40) minutes, then report to the group, which will discuss for forty (40) minutes, and then enter. Each group will have a rapporteur who will record the key points and reflections about the discussion. A discussion summary will then be compiled and submitted to the conference secretariat.
Discussion questions:
1. How is climate change affecting classroom learning in low-income countries?
2. How do building designs and classroom characteristics contribute to school heat stress?
3. What affordable adaptation strategies are available to teachers and learners in dealing with heat stress?
4. What policy options can countries adopt to deal with the effects of classroom temperature on learning outcomes in the African context?
Authors: Ebenezer Amankwaa & David Martin Ssekamatte
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