Eco-anxiety: Ontario Teachers’ Perspectives into Effective Pedagogy in Environmental Education

Eco-anxiety describes emotional responses such as fatigue, frustration, and anger toward environmental issues. In recent years, there is a growing concern among educators on how this emotion affects learning experience in environmental education. This qualitative study thus examines the manifestation and impact of this anxiety on learning interest, engagement, and motivation. Specifically, through interviewing two experienced Ontario teachers, it delves into its impact and implies professional development to promote environmental education in Ontario classrooms. Primarily, my research finds that anxiety is prevalent in practice; however, it also indicates that teaching anxiety contributes to this learning anxiety. Mainly, a lack of knowledge and experience in this education points to a systemic support that will combat anxiety and empower learners to address the challenge of Climate Change.