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Group Projects for an Energy Symposium

Group Projects for an Energy Symposium. Fred Loxsom Eastern Connecticut State University. American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. Climate Action Plan. Green Campus Committee. Energy Research. Campus and Community Outreach. Earth Day Activities Speaker Series

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Group Projects for an Energy Symposium

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  1. Group Projects for an Energy Symposium Fred Loxsom Eastern Connecticut State University

  2. American College & UniversityPresidents’ Climate Commitment

  3. Climate Action Plan

  4. Green Campus Committee

  5. Energy Research

  6. Campus and Community Outreach • Earth Day Activities • Speaker Series • Student Clubs • Recycling Program • Service learning in the community

  7. Campus as Laboratory

  8. Submetering and Energy Dashboard

  9. Institute for Sustainable Energy • Statewide energy efficiency programs • Energy Education programs for secondary schools • Employs energy students as interns

  10. Center for Sustainable Energy Studies • Endowed Chair in Sustainable Energy Studies • Environmental Earth Science Department • Position has separate budget, reduced teaching load, and excellent teaching and research space in a new science building.

  11. Sustainable Energy Studies • General Education Courses: • Global Climate Change • Sustainable Energy • Sustainable Energy Lab • Minor in Sustainable Energy Studies • Sustainable Energy concentration in Environmental Earth Science B.S. Major

  12. Sustainable Energy Course • General Education – “Science and Society” • 250 students in 6 sections • Climate change as main indicator of environmental impact. • Emphasis on electricityand transportationalternatives.

  13. Emphasis on Solutions

  14. Instruction Mode • Lecture • Discussion • Group Activities • All sections now taught by adjuncts • One online section

  15. Group Project • Campus Sustainability Symposium • Poster • Solutions not Problems • Posters tested in class • Three to Five per Group

  16. First Year • Posters • PowerPoint Presentations • Other Formats • Pamphlets • Digital Posters • Song

  17. Second Year • Posters only for introductory class • PowerPoint presentations for advanced classes

  18. Poster Topics • Water Conservation • Water Purification • Social Marketing & the N2N Challenge • Layered Curriculum for Climate Change • Truth in Bio-Degradable Product LabelingWind Power in the Education system • Sustainable Energy Ideas for Schools • How Sustainable Energy is Portrayed in Media

  19. Poster Topics (continued) • Building Energy Efficiency • Energy Efficient Living • High Mass Thermal Heating • DIY Home Energy Efficiency • Residential Geothermal Heating • Carbon Sequestration • Geologic Carbon Sequestration • Energy Under Our Feet: Geothermal Power

  20. Poster Topics (continued) • America Runs on Oil • Environmental Impacts of Fossil Fuels • The Clean Air Act • Why Biofuel? • Electric Avenue (The Electric Car) • Tesla, The New American Dream (Car) • The Long Road Ahead • Gas Powered Cars vs Electric Cars

  21. Poster Topics (continued) • Pros and Cons of Ethanol as a Renewable Fuel • Alternative Hydroelectric Power • Tidal Power • Genetically Modified Food • Up, Up and Away • Methane Hydrate Structure • Methane Hydrate Resources • Methane Hydrate and Climate Change

  22. The Symposium • Part of an extended Earth Day Celebration • Posters available in the morning • Students at their posters in the afternoon • Judging in the afternoon • PowerPoint Presentations by advanced students in the afternoon • Keynote address • Award Presentations

  23. Poster Presentations

  24. Poster Presentations

  25. Poster Judging

  26. Symposium Speaker

  27. Award Presentations

  28. Student Evaluation • Instructors distributed anonymous questionnaire to all students. • Request evaluations from judges and faculty. • Looked for comments in course evaluations. • Not a single negative comment about symposium. A few negative comments about working in groups. • All students (to varying degrees) enjoyed the symposium and believed the experience was worthwhile.

  29. Faculty Evaluation • Met with the instructors to discuss Symposium and the group work required to prepare for it. • All instructors agreed that the effort and time was worthwhile because students were enthusiastic about the projects and seemed to learn a great deal from the experience. • All instructors wished to repeat the Symposium each year.

  30. A New Group Project • Currently piloting “Energy Kit” group project. • Group of students given an energy kit. • Group learns to use the kit. • Gives class presentation based on the kit. • Then, gives community presentation based on kit.

  31. Energy Kits • Lighting Efficiency Kit (home made) • Trash Audit (home made) • Wind Turbine • Solar Electricity

  32. Questions?

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