Cognitive Design for Empowering Teachers to Become Effective Agents of Change
Last year, we joined hands with Clean Air Network to co-design and co-deliver a workshop on introducing the Clean Air Schools Action Framework to schools – after over 18 months of excellent efforts measuring and visualising campus air quality as part of the Clean Air Schools for Hong Kong (CASHK), it was time to move towards actually taking actions to improve the air our children breathe in, day in and day out. The event was attended by teachers from the project’s participating schools.
HOW WAS THE ACTION-FOCUSED WORKSHOP LIKE?
The workshop began with a warm-up exercise, at which teacher-participants got to meet and greet one another and share about: how they are feeling on the day #temperaturecheck, their mode of commute to school, their favorite spot at school; and most relevantly, their use of the air quality monitoring device.
Each of these questions points to the range of #humanfactors that affect behaviours, such as emotions, attention points, habits, memory and mental representation, which participants did a deep-dive into through the game of the Human Factor Mural that follows.
During the Mural session, the behavior in focus surrounds enabling data-informed preventive and remedial actions to improve air: monitor outdoor and share outdoor air quality of campus. Interesting points arose during the facilitated reflection and discussion:
Self discovery: A stage of self-discovery is important to engage and gain the support of teachers, their heads, hearts and hands, to take part in cleaning air.
Fostering motivation: Taking part in air quality monitoring should be framed as a “fun”, a “rewarding” activity, instead of “a task” and “a penalty”
Closing the knowledge gap –
For everyone including teachers and pupils: Instead of imposing knowledge, effective learning takes multiple steps: anchor, transfer, transpose and sustain.
For children: Scientific knowledge is crucial, but how might such knowledge be presented in a way that children find receptive? Perhaps start by reflecting about language and coming up with simple definitions and representations. Instead of “low AQHI” (Air Quality Health Index), perhaps “dirty air” gets across better to the children… and the implications of “coughing”, “wheezing”, and less outdoor play (oh no!).
Closing the relevance gap: Likewise for adults, teachers and other stakeholders of schools, how should the topic of clean air be framed in a way that even better resonates with more? As an example, teachers may care more about character development and the overall health of pupils instead of clean air, which is indirectly (but significantly!) related
Valorising progress: Despite improving and maintaining good air quality being a never-ending effort, celebration of mini milestones could boost the sense of achievement, and sustain interest and engagement – what if the class that shows the highest participation is awarded ice cream by the end of the school term?
Inducing knowledge internalisation is important: How might children (indeed adults too) start paying attention to air quality like paying attention to weather?
Throughout the journey from visualising data to inducing behavioural change, understanding the social and human factors is as important as understanding the environmental factors. Various treatments, including recognising and rewarding achievements, highlighting the significance of small victories and celebrating them, are helpful to sustain momentum.
We are grateful for the generosity of the educators who offered their thoughts in the workshop! Special thank you too to funder and collaborator of the project, Zeshan Foundation and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
