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An Integrated Approach to Energy Education in Engineering

Author

Listed:
  • Gordon D. Hoople

    (Integrated Engineering, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, USA)

  • Diana A. Chen

    (Integrated Engineering, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, USA)

  • Susan M. Lord

    (Integrated Engineering, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, USA)

  • Laura A. Gelles

    (Integrated Engineering, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, USA
    Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA)

  • Felicity Bilow

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA)

  • Joel Alejandro Mejia

    (Integrated Engineering, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA 92110, USA)

Abstract

What do engineering students in 2020 need to know about energy to be successful in the workplace and contribute to addressing society’s issues related to energy? Beginning with this question, we have designed a new course for second-year engineering students. Drawing on the interdisciplinary backgrounds of our diverse team of engineering instructors, we aimed to provide an introduction to energy for all engineering students that challenged the dominant discourse in engineering by valuing students’ lived experiences and bringing in examples situated in different cultural contexts. An Integrated Approach to Energy was offered for the first time in Spring 2020 for 18 students. In this paper, we describe the design of the course including learning objectives, content, and pedagogical approach. We assessed students’ learning using exams and the impact of the overall course using interviews. Students demonstrated achievement of the learning objectives in technical areas. In addition, interviews revealed that they learned about environmental, economic, and social aspects of engineering practice. We intend for this course to serve as a model of engineering as a sociotechnical endeavor by challenging students with scenarios that are technically demanding and require critical thinking about contextual implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Gordon D. Hoople & Diana A. Chen & Susan M. Lord & Laura A. Gelles & Felicity Bilow & Joel Alejandro Mejia, 2020. "An Integrated Approach to Energy Education in Engineering," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-21, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:9145-:d:439514
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. DeWaters, Jan E. & Powers, Susan E., 2011. "Energy literacy of secondary students in New York State (USA): A measure of knowledge, affect, and behavior," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 1699-1710, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Maija A. Benitz & Li-Ling Yang, 2021. "Bridging Education and Engineering Students through a Wind Energy-Focused Community Engagement Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    2. Marissa H. Forbes & Susan M. Lord & Gordon D. Hoople & Diana A. Chen & Joel Alejandro Mejia, 2022. "What Is Engineering and Who Are Engineers? Student Reflections from a Sustainability-Focused Energy Course," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-11, March.
    3. Jan DeWaters & Susan Powers & Felicity Bilow, 2021. "An Introductory Energy Course to Promote Broad Energy Education for Undergraduate Engineering Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    4. Laura A. Gelles & Joel Alejandro Mejia & Susan M. Lord & Gordon D. Hoople & Diana A. Chen, 2021. "Is It All about Efficiency? Exploring Students’ Conceptualizations of Sustainability in an Introductory Energy Course," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-21, June.
    5. Yishu Zhou & Joseph D. Smith & Greg Gelles, 2022. "Teaching Energy Economics in the GCC: A Synergistic Approach between Engineering and Economics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-11, September.
    6. Chin-Sung Chen & Jing-Wen Lin, 2021. "An Action Research on the Long-Term Implementation of an Engineering-Centered PjBL of Sustainable Energy in a Rural Middle School," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-25, September.

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