According to the Department of Energy (2012), an energy-literate person:
1. Can trace energy flows and think in terms of energy systems
2. Knows how much energy he or she uses, for what, and where the energy comes from
3. Can assess the credibility of information about energy
4. Can communicate about energy and energy use in meaningful ways
5. Is able to make informed energy and energy use decisions based on an understanding of impacts and consequences
6. Continues to learn about energy throughout his or her life
This "find" from the Department of Energy, made me wonder, "How would I figure out what the "energy literacy" level is for a young person." If you have read my Capstone Propose (please see prior post for the link), then you know that I am working with a group of foster care kids who are served by a grant managed by the University of Redlands. I have the fortunate opportunity to work with a group of 36 8th-12th graders this summer (2012). It is my job to figure out what they know about energy, educate them through hands-on experiences, and then, see what they may have learned. I have been granted permission from reseachers DeWaters and Powers (2008) to use a survey instrument that they have developed and tested. That survey instrument is discussed in the research paper linked below. I will use this as a pre and post assessment.
In my next blog posting, I will begin to describe some of the instructional activities that I am developing.
Resources:
DeWaters and Powers (2008). Energy literacy among middle and high school youth. Retrieved from http://cu.clarkson.edu/highschool/k12/pdf/FIE08_EnergyLiteracy.pdf
U.S. Department of Energy. (2012). Energy Literacy: Essential principles and fundamental concepts for energy education. Retrieved from http://downloads.globalchange.gov/Literacy/Energy_Literacy_1.0_High_Res.pdf
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