This article presents ideas and narratives of an experiment on the concept of energy developed for an honors seminar on energy and a mechanics course. We argue that energy is an idea best taught in an interdisciplinary manner. While most physics courses explore ideas such as mechanical energy and conservation of energy, it is imperative that a…

Metal-air battery technology is a promising new energy storage solution in the green energy economy but also an excellent tool to educate students on the working principles of batteries. A simple yet powerful construction of a metal-air battery is shown, which consists of a plastic mint box, a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. Furthermore,…

The study aimed to examine the effects of design-based STEM activities developed for renewable energy sources on science teacher candidates' perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral orientations. The one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The participants comprised 40 second-grade teacher candidates studying at a public university, and the…

"Green" jobs that contribute to preserving the environment are among the fastest-growing careers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the rising need for workers to fill these positions, and surging interest among students in environmental careers, community colleges are creating new courses, certifications and…

This article describes current practices and needs associated with water and gas conservation among Southern California greenhouse growers, Post-Harvest Processors (PHPs), and agricultural associations. Two communication forums were held with the goal of educating the local gas company and small growers and PHPs on the most compelling needs and…

Middle school students hear about energy continuously: in the news, in many of their classes, and at home. Most students realize that recent wars have been fought over energy resources, and many will accept that overreliance on fossil fuels is changing the global climate. Students understand that as the world population surges past seven billion,…

Colleges across the country are hosting on-campus renewable energy projects. The general assumption is that trade schools, community colleges, or technology-oriented universities with large engineering departments make the most appropriate sites for training future leaders in renewable energy innovation. While it makes sense to take advantage of…

As a renewable source of energy, wind energy will play a significant role in the future. Public, commercial, and privately owned organizations are increasingly finding the value and profits in wind power. Including wind power in a technology and engineering education curriculum teaches students about an important technology that may effect their…

Career and technical education (CTE) carries a long-held image misconception--an outdated observation harbored by students, parents and the general public that CTE lacks academic rigor and only leads students to low-skill jobs. Despite these misconceptions, CTE is often a perfect option for many students to discover their passions, and to develop…

As community and technical colleges work to train workers for green-energy jobs, they face myriad challenges. Among them are the recession and the financial strain it places on institutions' ability to develop programs, trying to meet the demand for trained workers that is a projection and not a certainty, and training low-skilled individuals for…

Courses focused on renewable and alternative energy are taking hold across the country as educators seek to channel students' concerns about the environment and conservation into classroom lessons. This article talks about the rising interest in "green" curriculum. Here, the author describes the Green Tech class that introduces students to the…

Concerns are growing regarding the availability of sustainable energy sources due to a rapidly growing human population and a better understanding of climate change. In recent years, the United States has focused much attention on developing domestic energy sources, which include coal-bed methane (CBM). There are vast deposits of the natural gas…

In Ohio's Licking County, the Career and Technology Education Centers (C-TEC) is a leader in the green movement. This eco-friendly school incorporates environmental sustainability in all aspects of its programming and is the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified public building in the state. While eco-friendly…

This article presents the author's critique on Stephen L. Baird's article in the November 2008 issue of "The Technology Teacher", which describes a contemporary debate about opening more U.S. land and coastal regions to oil and gas exploration and production (E&P). While Baird's thesis epitomizes the goal of a technologically literate citizen, his…

Thirty years ago, the Arab Oil Embargo caused us to stop taking gasoline for granted and caused the author to start teaching students about the importance of energy in our lives. This retrospective shows the same general patterns discerned from a 20-year retrospective a decade ago: a sharp decrease in energy use following each of the two energy…