Abstract:

Considering the increasing importance of education in addressing climate change, analyzing social media discussions about this topic is crucial to understanding public perceptions and behaviors. This research aimed to identify the main areas of communication about climate change and education on the social network Twitter (now X). We analyzed 15,383 Tweets from 8,230 users posted from 1 April 2018 to 17 April 2023, which included the phrases "climate change" and "education." Using an automated machine learning analysis of social media data, we conducted a topic analysis to uncover the main topics of discussion. This study extends previous research by encompassing a broader scope of messages beyond hashtags.

The results identified five main communication areas:
(1) Climate Education in Schools,
(2) Climate Change Events and Discussions,
(3) Ecological Practices,
(4) Scientific Research, and
(5) Gender Equality.

Additionally, our analysis of hashtag frequency revealed that the most commonly used hashtags in these communications were #climateaction, #sustainability, #poverty, and #humanrights. Our analysis highlights the diverse ways in which climate change and education intersect in global conversations, emphasizing the need for inclusive and comprehensive educational strategies. Furthermore, the identification of specific areas of discourse can help policymakers and educators address these topics more effectively.

Keywords:

Climate change, education, social media analyses, gender equality, climate education.