NEEDED: One million STEM graduates!

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Mar 8, 2012; Category: Education outreach, Energy Education; Tags: Classroom Instruction, Education, energy education, Engineering Careers; Comments: Comments Off

In a recently released report from the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology (PCAST) it was concluded that one million additional STEM graduates are needed over the next decade to fill the growing number of jobs requiring STEM skills. The report recommended changes in undergraduate STEM education that will retain more STEM students in the first two years of their college studies. The report finds that:

• Fewer than 40 percent of students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field complete a STEM degree;
• Increasing the retention rate from 40 to 50 percent would provide three-quarters of the million STEM graduates needed; and
• Colleges and universities can significantly increase their retention rates by improving faculty instructional practices, helping students rapidly improve their entry level math skills, and creating multiple pathways to excel in STEM, particularly for underrepresented groups.

In its latest report, Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) concludes that retaining more STEM majors is the lowest-cost, fastest policy option to provide the STEM professionals that the Nation needs for economic and societal well-being. Studies have shown that classroom approaches that engage students as active participants improve retention of information and critical thinking skills and can significantly increase STEM-major interest and perseverance, compared with conventional lecturing. In one study, for example, students in traditional lecture courses were twice as likely to leave engineering and three times as likely to drop out of college entirely compared with students taught using active learning techniques. In another study, students in a physics class that used active learning methods learned twice as much as those taught in a traditional class, as measured by test results.  

Listed below are some ways you can volunteer.

• Donate education materials to schools
• Start a classroom presentation program
• Mentor a school science club
• Take part in Engineers Week and Earth Science Week activities
• Hold an energy-themed art contest
• Give classroom presentations
• Judge science fairs
• Help Boy and Girl Scouts earn Energy or Engineering Merit Badges
• Educate friends, family and your community about energy

Get involved!

SPE Education Day, Bangalore Section ( A Young Professionals Initiative)

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Feb 28, 2012; Category: Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy Education, Engineering Careers, Volunteering; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Engineering Careers, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off

 

Recently, the Young Professionals (YP) committee of SPE Bangalore Section organized an education day at Kendriya Vidyalaya in DRDO, Bangalore. The event was organized to guide school students interested in mathematics and science towards a career in the oil and gas sector which is one of the most exciting and challenging sectors. 

A team of seven people from SPE Bangalore section presented various options available to the students in oil and gas industry. The event received such overwhelming response that it had to be done twice to accommodate all the students. A total number of 150 students benefitted from the event.

The event began with the secretary of SPE Bangalore Section, Palvi Mech enlightening students about The Society of Petroleum Engineers, what it does and how it helps in the growth of oil and gas sector. This was followed by an overview of oil and gas sector by Jonathan Minz, Ashish Verma and Michelle Vishwanathan. The students were quite eager and enthusiastic throughout the presentation and repeatedly asked questions at regular intervals. 

The overall event of around three hours was a new and exhilarating experience for the future budding engineers and scientists of Bangalore. It was a great success and the students were made aware of the various career options available to them in oil and gas industry. The students and teachers of Kendriya Vidyalaya especially appreciated the effort put by the YP committee and want this event to be a yearly calendar event.

Are you interested in holding a similar type of initiative? Find more information on how to do so here: http://www.energy4me.org/spe-volunteers/

Energy4me and National Science Education Standards

Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Feb 9, 2012; Category: Classroom materials, Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy Education; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Energy, energy education, Energy4me, Engineering Careers, instruction, Lesson Plans, Speaker, Teacher; Comments: Comments Off

Author: Marva Morrow, Energy Education Ambassador

The natural world is filled with awe and wonder. It is in our nature to be curious about our world around us. Everyone deserves to share in the excitement and personal fulfillment that can come from understanding and learning about our natural world. In a world filled with the products of scientific inquiry, scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone. We all need to use scientific information to make choices that arise every day.

According to an overview of the National Academies, Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering and Medicine, “The National Science Education Standards present a vision of a scientifically literate populace. The standards outline what students need to know, understand and be able to do to be scientifically literate at different grade levels. They describe an educational system in which all students demonstrate high levels of performance, in which teachers are empowered to make the decisions essential for effective learning, in which interlocking communities of teachers and students are focused on learning science, and in which supportive educational programs and systems nurture achievement. The Standards point toward a future that is challenging but attainable—which is why they are written in the present tense.”

The Energy4me lesson plans, designed for our Oil and Natural Gas book, are aligned with the aforementioned National Science Education Standards. The Standards emphasize both excellence and equity, and highlight the need to give students the opportunity to learn science.  Students cannot achieve high levels of performance without access to skilled professional teachers, adequate classroom time, a rich array of learning materials and the resources of the the communities surrounding their schools. Learning science is something that students must do through “hands-on” and “minds on” activities: a point of emphasis for Energy4me.

Energy4me lesson plans also support the 5E constructivist learning cycle, helping students build their own understanding from experiences and new ideas. The 5Es represent the five stages of a sequence for teaching and learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaboration and Evaluate. The 5E model was developed by The Biological Science Curriculum Study (BSCS).

Download the Energy4me lesson plans and ‘hands-on-activities” and let us know what you think. Visit our classroom resources and get connected with classroom speakers, teacher workshops, classroom activities and materials and student events.                                                         

SPE’s Ghana Section is committed to energy education!

Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Dec 22, 2011; Category: Classroom materials, Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Education, Energy sources, Engineering Careers, Environment, SPE members; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Energy, Energy4me, natural gas, oil, Petroleum, School, SPE, Student, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Ghana section, is growing and gaining momentum! With a growing membership and an enthusiastic board, they have made the commitment to make a difference in the oil and gas industry while doing something good for their community. The Ghana section will be supporting 10 schools in Accra and 10 schools in Takoradi with energy education materials including energy4me books and kits as well as classroom presentations.

SPE encourages all its members and sections to educate the public about energy and put a face on the industry. Energy is a critical issue worldwide, and SPE believes face-to-face contact is the ideal way to spread the word about energy conservation, the future of the oil and gas industry, and its impact on the planet.

The energy4me books and kits donated to the Ghana section were sponsored by energy4me, SPE’s energy education outreach program, and Colin Black, SPE EIC member and Director, Optima Solutions UK Ltd.

SPE and energy4me would like to thank the Ghana section in their energy outreach initiatives. Together, we can make a difference by sharing the facts about energy with the public and putting a face on the industry.

Keep up the good work!

Learn more about energy and energy careers.

The picture to the right shows the SPE Ghana board members and British High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Jones.

Participate in America’s Home Energy Education Challenge!

Author: Guest Author; Published: Sep 7, 2011; Category: Classroom materials, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Environment, Uncategorized; Tags: Children, Classroom Instruction, Earth, Education, Energy, Energy Conservation, Teacher; Comments: Comments Off

Guest Author – Matthew Maguire Inman, Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, United States Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

It’s that time again: Back to school season is officially here! Time for students to prepare for the new experiences and challenges that they will encounter throughout the upcoming school year.

One such challenge—from the Department of Energy in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association—aims to tap into the creativity and enthusiasm of students across the country.

America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is designed to educate students in grades 3-8 about the benefits of energy efficiency, and motivate them to encourage their families and communities to put energy and money-saving ideas learned in the classroom into action at home.

“This exciting competition is designed to inspire the next generation of energy leaders to take simple and affordable steps today that will save money and get them thinking about energy issues at an early age,” said Energy Secretary Chu.

There are two ways for teachers, students and families to participate: The first is through the Home Energy Challenge and the second is through the Energy Fitness Award. Each is designed to encourage learning about science and energy with the added benefit of saving money by saving energy. The Home Energy Challenge encourages students to work with their families to reduce home energy use—monitoring energy savings over a three-month period. Schools with the highest number of points earned for reducing household energy usage, student participation, creativity and overall quality of their local energy savings program qualify for awards.

The Energy Fitness Award is a separate individualized educational challenge scheduled to begin September 20, 2011. Modeled after the President’s Physical Fitness Test, the Energy Fitness Award encourages students to complete specific tasks, such as interpreting a home energy bill and learning how to conduct a home energy assessment, and then demonstrate their learning and proficiency. The Energy Fitness Award will challenge students to become smart energy users. Each student who successfully completes the components of the Energy Fitness Award will receive an Energy Fitness Badge.

Participating schools and classrooms, as well as Home School networks, will compete within 11 regions for more than $200,000 in prizes distributed at the regional and national levels. Official registration for the Home Energy Education Challenge began August 15, and ends on October 7, 2011. Students are encouraged to register with their teachers by September 30, 2011 to take advantage of the full energy savings period.

For more information, visit the Home Energy Education Challenge website. And for more on how saving energy saves you money, visit the Energy Savers and Kids Saving Energy pages. Also, visit energy4me.org for tips on how you can save more energy at home!