Solar Energy Technology Education

1. Solar Energy Technology Education Portland State University Carl C. Wamser (Chemistry) Pah I. Chen (Engineering) Ron Narode (Education) NOVA Project for 2001

2. Summary This project will redesign one course and create a new course, aimed for nonmajors and current and future teachers: • SCI 321 - Energy and Society (spring 2001) • SCI 322 - Solar Energy Technology Education (summer 2001) A preliminary web page has been started at: http://chem.pdx.edu/~wamserc/solar/ FOR MORE INFO...

3. General Course Goals These courses are part of the PSU Science Cornerstone Project, with goals to make science accessible for ALL students so that they can: • understand and apply fundamental principles from one or more areas of scientific inquiry, • experience the methods and processes of scientific inquiry, including experimental design, the recording, quantification, and interpretation of observations, and the effective communication of results, • access and utilize scientific information and concepts in support of their life roles as individuals, citizens, learners, consumers, producers, and family members, • comprehend the power and the limitations of science as a way of understanding the world, including ways of dealing with uncertainty, • recognize the interactions between science and other human endeavors.

4. SCI 321 - Syllabus • Study of the energy problem: a complex societal problem which has a major technical component. • Designed to help non-science majors understand the technical side of the energy problem as well as the multidisciplinary effects of technical decisions on the social, political, and economic framework. • Examination of energy requirements and usage, energy resources, methods for producing energy, environmental and economic implications of energy production, energy conservation, and energy policies. • Power production techniques utilizing coal, nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal, and other energy sources will be studied.

5. SCI 322 - Syllabus • Energy - sources, measurements, interconversions • Renewable energy - water cycle, carbon cycle, wind energy, geothermal, other resources • Solar energy - passive solar, architectural design, solar collectors, photosynthesis • Photovoltaics - semiconductor properties, performance criteria, manufacturing, economic and strategic issues, system installation, data collection and analysis, educational uses

6. Course Pedagogy • Both the NCTM Principles and Standards and the National Science Standards advocate methods of instruction that draw on student prior knowledge to build conceptual bridges to the powerful ideas in mathematics and science. • The context for this is usually in problem solving and field and laboratory investigations, where students work cooperatively to explore and communicate their thoughts and discoveries. • Our courses will focus on these activities and skills for the majority of class time, and assessments will also vary so as to include individual journals, group presentations, field trips, lab work, class projects, and final reports and presentations.

7. SCI 321 - Lecture Topics Power Plant Comparisons: • Fossil fueled • Fuel cell • Geothermal • Hydropower • Nuclear • Ocean tidal • Solar • Wind

8. SCI 321 - Recitation Topics • Power requirements of household appliances: Refrigerator-freezer, Stove, Light bulbs, Oven, Water heater, Television, Garage door opener, Dishwasher, Laundry washer and dryer • Heating load of a 3 bedroom ranch style house (1200 ft2) in the Pacific Northwest and improvement by insulation • Global warming – research using the Internet • Energy conservation

9. SCI 321 - Field Trips • Bonneville Dam Hydropower Plant (1250 MW) • Marion County Wastes-to-Energy Facility (27 MW) • Columbia Boulevard Waste Treatment Fuel Cell Power Plant (300 KW)

10. SCI 321 - Class Projects (1999) • “Design and Construction of a Small Scale Model of Hydro-power Plant” – by Scott Reed • “Design of a Windmill Power Plant for a Township” – by Vivian Ahn, Kimmy Chang and Tarlan Torabi • “Development of a Lesson Plan for 5th and 6th Graders” – by J. Porter • “Fuel Cell Technology” – by L. Lim, M. Hritova, and A. Stefanovic • “Environment Effects of Hydro-power Plants” - by Jason Bryan, Heidi Brotherton, and Tim North • “Environmental Effect of Power Generation in Oregon and Possible Solutions” – by Jared Smith and Devin Stinger • “Environmental Effects of Nuclear Power” – S. Koepping & T. Hawlett •  “Study of Air Pollution from Energy Generation” – by Matthew Moore

11. SCI 321 - Class Projects (2000) • “Comparing Hybrid Vehicles: Toyota Prius and Honda Insight” – by P. Cathey, S. Strang, and E. Arnsberg •  “The Future of Solar Technology: A Study in Residential Application” – by Nancy Bliss, and Rachel Burr •  “The Self-sufficient Home” – by Theron Luttmann, John Petkovich, and Jake Batty •  “Passive Solar Construction: Attached Sunspace Design with Solar Water Heating” – by Allison Anderson, Robert Gibbens, and Daniel Martinez •  “Tidal Basin Power: Potential Energy Resource” – by Rose Mitchell and Juan Carlos Nuno

12. SCI 321 - Windmill Design & Testing • Each student designed and constructed a small windmill according to specifications • The windmills were tested for performance

13. PV System Installation • Students in the summer course will have the opportunity to assemble and install a complete photovoltaic system on the roof of one of the PSU science buildings. • Data from the PV system will be constantly monitored and made available over the internet and shared with the solar monitoring program at the University of Oregon. • PGE has a new program of donations of PV systems to high schools. We expect to attract current and future teachers to the course and explore how they may most effectively use such systems for educational purposes.

14. Evaluation & Assessment As part of the Science Cornerstone curriculum, these courses will be subject to comprehensive assessments based on a well established set of learning objectives that have been developed by University Studies and the Science Cornerstone Project. These assessments are conducted summatively. We will conduct a midterm evaluation of each of the courses to permit formative assessment and revisions, and we will use the OCEPT survey for prospective science teachers to assess the impact of the course on changing students’ perceptions of science education.

15. Action Research & Assessment Possible Research Topics: 1) The use of engineering as an integrative discipline for prospective science teachers; 2) The role of field trips to promote student engagement; 3) The value of hands-on research in conveying the scientific enterprise to prospective teachers; 4) The effect of standards-based pedagogy on changing the epistemology of prospective science teachers; 5) The effect of pedagogy in teaching to diverse student populations in upper-level science courses.

16. NASA Strategic EnterprisesEarth Science • Applying Remote Sensing Research to Earth Science Problems NASA’s remote sensing data on weather, cloud cover, ocean currents, climatic changes, and ozone concentration, as well as petroleum, volcanic, asteroid and seismic activity will be used throughout the courses. • Adapting Space Science Technologies to Earth Science Applications Students in the second term course will build, monitor, and study energy production through photovoltaics -- a space-based technology with viable application on Earth. • Increase Public Understanding of Earth System Science Preservice teachers will be advised into these courses for both their content and pedagogy. A particular outcome of the summer course will be to create curricular materials suitable for K-12 students.

17. Outreach & Dissemination • Summative Evaluation Report to Portland State University General Education faculty and administration, Summer 2002 • Paper Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Oregon Academy of Science, Winter 2002 • Panel Presentation at the Annual Showcase Meeting of the Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers, Summer 2002 • Report to Portland General Electric for incorporation and dissemination through PGE’s Solar Education Project • Dissemination to the network of 45 teachers associated with the PSU Horizons Project • Publicity to local school districts and their science faculty for Professional Development Units applicable for continuing state teacher licensure

18. Acknowledgements Funding Sources • NOVA Program implementation planning grant, 2001 • Portland General Electric donation of a complete photovoltaic system • Portland State University support for PI time and travel, supplies • OCEPT (Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in Preparation of Teachers) support for consultants, PI travel

19. Acknowledgements Advisory Board Dr. Dean Livelybrooks, University of Oregon, Physics Department. Dr. Gilbert Yanow, Director, NSF California Chautauqua Field Center, Educational Affairs Office, NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Dr. Walt Hellman, Physics Teacher, Hillsboro High School Dr. Lorna Tran, College Success Skills Department, Portland Community College Dr. John Koroloff, Professor of Biology, Portland Community College Collaborations for K-12 and Community Outreach Portland General Electric (PGE) The Horizons Project at PSU