Innovative Multidisciplinary Climate Change Education:

Merging STEM Concepts and Climate Change Mitigation

College of Menominee Nation

Dr. Lisa Bosman

lbosman@menominee.edu

715-799-5600

September 11, 2014

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Project Overview Objective 1: Establish innovative teaching

curricula that fuse STEM concepts with climate change literacy, resulting in combined social science and physical science courses that would have wide appeal to many students.

Objective 2: Provide an experiential learning opportunity for 4-6 STEM students to construct a user friendly solar energy system evaluation tool, incorporating the real-world performance of solar modules, NASA weather and solar irradiation data, and detailed cost analysis and investment payback period.

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Project Team

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College of Menominee Nation NASA Argonne National Laboratory University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University of Wisconsin-Madison National Council for Science and Environment

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Objective 1: Transform Curriculum for STEM Concepts and Climate Change Literacy

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August 2014: STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

November 2014: Environmental Leadership Conference

April 2015: STEM Environmental Leadership Conference

Academic Year 2014-15: Introduction to Statistics: Pilot of 5 scaffold lab

projects incorporating Excel and statistical concepts using real-time solar energy data collection and analysis.

Global Climate Change Issues: Course modification to include STEM lab component.

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Week-long workshop included 10 students Each morning and afternoon lab session

offered a STEM-based, hands-on, project-based experiential learning opportunity.

Topics included: General overview of renewable energy Use of a variety of tools used for data collection Introduction to statistical analysis in Excel Overview of research and technical report writing

in Word Use of PowerPoint to create eye-catching research

posters

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Solar Panel Lab

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Excel Lab

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Building Lego Solar Panels for Data Collection

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Technical Report Writing and Poster Creation

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Physics and Energy

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Wrap-Up: Games, Prizes, and Energy Bingo

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STEM Academy for Renewable Energy Education and Research

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Preliminary Findings: Finding 1: The major finding for the sample overall and for the

high school subsample is a general trend toward higher scores. This indicates that Academy participation affected relevant student values, perceptions and beliefs in the desired direction.

Finding 2: Academies such as this one which had a strong Problem Based Learning focus on Renewable Resources may provide students substantially increased access to knowledge about renewable energy and the importance that students attribute to such knowledge.

Finding 3: Student Participation in the Academy was associated with increased interest in science and engineering as school subjects.

Finding 4: Student Participation in the Academy was associated with increased interest in pursuing college study and a career in science/STEM.

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Objective 2: Development of Solar Energy Performance and Valuation Tool

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Motivation for Solar Energy Research1. DOE SunShot Initiative aims to reduce installed

cost of solar technologies by 75% between 2010 and 2020. This research will contribute to the body of knowledge related to performance of solar modules.

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Motivation for Solar Energy Research2. Lack of real-world performance facilities in

Midwest.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Florida Solar Energy Center

Sandia National Laboratories

College of Menominee Nation Solar Initiative Facility

Argonne National Laboratory’s Midwest PV Analysis Facility

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Motivation for Solar Energy Research3. Solar electricity holds an estimated 17,600

billion kWh/yr in energy potential, assuming availability of 5% of all tribal lands (308 reservations) for solar development.

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Motivation for Solar Energy Research4. Practically speaking, better understanding

PV performance and valuation will assist electrical contractors, insurance appraisers, and homeowners with performance, warranty, and value expectations.

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Data Collection and Verification Midwest Photovoltaics Analysis Facility

(Argonne National Laboratory) College of Menominee Nation Solar Initiative

Facility

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Midwest Photovoltaic Analysis Facility (MPAF)

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MPAF: Types of Technologies

CdTe Poly-Si

CIGSMono-

Si

a-Si

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College of Menominee Nation (CMN) Solar Initiative: Types of Technologies

Polycrystalline Silicon

Monocrystalline Silicon

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Objective: Development of Solar Energy Performance and Valuation Tool

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Team Lisa Bosman (myself, Engineering Professor): Main role is

to advise with regards to the context of solar energy performance and data analysis.

Ryan Winn (Humanities Professor): Main role is to advise with regards to technical writing, poster creation, artifact development, and general research efforts.

5 Native American STEM students (4 males, 1 female) Major Goals (Year 1)

Article submission Poster and presentation at a conference Development of 2-3 creative artifacts: spoken word

poetry, short video, graphic novels, debates, plays, children’s books, etc…

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Questions

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(1) The main part of the project is research focused. Can anyone recommend a good article or have suggestions for evaluation and assessment related to student research opportunities? For example, when it comes to education-based research, evaluation and assessment is typically process-based associated with the learning objectives. However, when it comes to research, assessment is typically product-based associated with the deliverable.

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Questions

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(2) Arts, crafts, and creative expression are an integral component of the Menominee culture. Thus, in addition to students producing a research article and poster for presentation, the students will be creating a variety of creative artifacts related to the solar energy research, such as spoken word poetry, short video, graphic novels, debates, plays, children’s books, etc... Does anyone have sug-gestions for an outlet (conference /magazine / journal) to showcase these materials?

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Questions

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(3) When it comes to the budget, I am advised that I should keep a record of spending (similar to balancing a check book) to ensure the business office records match my own records. Can anyone recommend an App, software, or manual process that you have found useful to accomplish this task?