Developing energy systems engineering students’ perceptions of renewable energy for sustainable future

Gülüzar  Eymur

doi:10.36681/

Authors

Gülüzar Eymur

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36681/

Keywords:

Renewable energy, Sustainability, Engineering students, Students’ perceptions

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to describe engineering students’ perceptions about renewable energy. The paper focuses what the engineering students’ know about renewable energy and developing their understanding on it. To determine students’ pre- and post-perceptions about renewable energy, firstly, the questionnaire was developed by the researcher. After conducting the questionnaire, the courses and seminar were prepared. Then, the differences of percentages between pre- and post perceptions were identified. This study found that although the students were in Energy System Engineering Department, they still had many misconceptions about renewable energy. After the course prepared by researcher many students handled their misconceptions and developed their knowledge about renewable energy. This study has demonstrated that as the course took place, the perceptions, and misconceptions of students about renewable energy changed. It also recommended that if the single course can achieve the changes of perceptions and misconceptions of students, consistent changes might be succeeded by curriculum. The learning outcomes of the students showed that the course fits exactly for fulfilling future necessities for the education of students in sustainable topics.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agenda 21 (1992), United Nations Environment Programme, available at: www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=52 (accessed 1 December 2014).

Bart, M. and Rieckmann, M. (2012), “Students perspective on worldwide ‘greening’ of tertiary educarion curricula”, Research in Science Education, Vol. 40 No.5, pp.625-637.

Carew, A. and Mitchell, C. (2002), “Characterising undergraduate engineering students’ understanding of sustainability”. European journal of Engineering Education, Vol.27 No.4, pp.349-361.

Emanual, R., and Adams, J.N. (2011), “College students’ perceptions of campus sustainability”, International Journal of Sustanability in Higher Education, Vol.12 No.1, pp. 79-92.

Kagawa, F. (2007), “Dissonance in students’ perceptions of sustainable development and sustainability implications for curriculum change”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol.8 No.3, pp. 317-338.

Leal Filho, W.(2000), “Dealing with misconceptions on the concept of sustainability”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol.1 No.1, pp. 9-19.

Lozano Garcia, F.J., Kevany, K. and Huising, D. (2006), “Sustainability in higher education: what is happening?”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.14 No.9-11, pp. 757-760.

Pullen, S. and Brinkert, K., (2014), “SolEn for a Sustainable Future: Developing and Teaching a Multidisciplinary Course on Solar Energy To Further Sustainable Education in Chemistry “, Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 91, pp.1569-1573.

Sterling, S. and Thomas, I. (2006), “ Eucational for sustainability: the role of capabilities in guiding university curricula”, International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, Vol.1 No.4, pp.349-370.

Ünal, S., Coştu, B., and Ayas, A, (2010), “Secondary School Students’ Misconceptions of Covalent Bonding”, Journal of Turkish Science Education, Vol.7 No.2, pp.3-29

Taber, K.S., (2011), “Models, molecules and misconceptions: A commentary on "secondary school students' misconceptions of covalent bonding” Journal of Turkish Science Education, Vol.8 No.1, pp.3-18

Yumurtacı, M., Karatepe, Y., Varbak Neşe, S., and Keçebaş, A. (2012), “The levels of awareness about the renewable energy sources of university students in Turkey”, Renewable Energy, Vol.44, pp. 174-179

WFEO, 1999, Strategic Plan for the New Millennium (World Federation of Engineering Organizations).

Zeegers, Y., and Clark, I.F. (2014), “Students’ perceptions of education for sustainable development”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol.15 No.2, pp. 242- 253.