Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Engaging Middle School Students in Classroom Deliberation and Vertical Farming for Collective Climate Adaptation

Catherine Anne Corkery 1 *
1 Trent University* Corresponding Author
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Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Volume 9, Issue SI, June 2026, pp. 111-135
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 18 DOWNLOADS: 19 Publication date: 15 Jun 2026
ABSTRACT
Amid the intensifying climate and ecological crises, youth are experiencing heightened anxiety and hopelessness about the future. Freire emphasized the need for action alongside hope, while Bandura highlighted self-efficacy as a key predictor for meaningful action, nurtured through verbal persuasion, direct experience, emotional arousal, and vicarious experience. This mixed-methods study examines how 23 middle school students' understanding of the complexity of the climate and ecological crises evolved through solutions-oriented deliberations on algal blooms in the Great Lakes and engagement in a vertical farming project. Surveys, concept maps, and interviews reveal that factual knowledge alone does not predict deep understanding or action. Similarly, an isolated, one-off experience was insufficient to support sustained systems thinking. Instead, students demonstrated stronger connections between ecological processes, human activity, and potential solutions when learning was iterative, collaborative, and grounded in tangible action. Educators are encouraged to integrate frequent, hands-on, systems-based activities to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to address climate change.
KEYWORDS
Classroom deliberation, Climate change education, Climate efficacy, Environmental sustainability education, Participative decision making, Vertical farming
CITATION (APA)
Corkery, C. A. (2026). Engaging Middle School Students in Classroom Deliberation and Vertical Farming for Collective Climate Adaptation. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 9(SI), 111-135. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.515SI
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