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Toward a Diverse Next-Generation Energy Workforce: Teaching Artificial Photosynthesis and Electrochemistry in Elementary Schools through Active Learning

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Title: Toward a Diverse Next-Generation Energy Workforce: Teaching Artificial Photosynthesis and Electrochemistry in Elementary Schools through Active Learning
Language: English
Authors: Brooke Soobrian (ORCID 0000-0001-7627-3919), Alex J. King (ORCID 0000-0002-3156-1607), Justin C. Bui (ORCID 0000-0003-4525-957X), Adam Z. Weber (ORCID 0000-0002-7749-1624), Alexis T. Bell (ORCID 0000-0002-5738-4645), Frances A. Houle (ORCID 0000-0001-5571-2548)
Source: Journal of Chemical Education. 2023 100(7):2686-2695.
Availability: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 10
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 5
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Descriptors: Elementary School Science, Elementary School Students, Science Instruction, Chemistry, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Grade 5, Active Learning, Hands on Science, Botany, Achievement Gap, Minority Group Students, Equal Education
Geographic Terms: California
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00085
ISSN: 0021-9584
1938-1328
Abstract: Artificial photosynthesis is a promising approach to generate commodity chemicals using abundant chemical feedstocks and renewable energy sources. Despite its importance, affordable and effective hands-on classroom activities that demonstrate artificial photosynthesis and teach key concepts, especially for primary school students, are lacking. Educating young students on this topic is a critical step in the development of the next-generation energy workforce, especially one that is diverse in race and gender. We hypothesize that an effective approach to educate a broad range of young students on the topic of artificial photosynthesis is through the use of an active learning-based lesson plan that employs cheap and accessible materials. This hypothesis is confirmed by evaluating the understanding of fifth grade students with a survey before and after a lesson plan on artificial photosynthesis that uses active-learning techniques and uses safe and highly accessible materials (baking soda, tap water, plastic jars, Ni coil, alligator clips, and a solar cell) to perform solar-powered water splitting. The lesson plan and survey questions are designed to align with the educational outcomes for fifth grade classrooms in California and to address four general learning objectives: (1) Motivations of Artificial Photosynthesis, (2) Applications of Artificial Photosynthesis, (3) Inputs and Outputs of Artificial Photosynthesis, and (4) Engineering Design for Artificial Photosynthesis. The survey data demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in overall student understanding from the lesson plan. Importantly, the data show that the lesson plan presented here is effective at narrowing the performance gap between minority students and overly represented groups.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1444508
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Toward a Diverse Next-Generation Energy Workforce: Teaching Artificial Photosynthesis and Electrochemistry in Elementary Schools through Active Learning
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brooke+Soobrian%22">Brooke Soobrian</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7627-3919">0000-0001-7627-3919</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alex+J%2E+King%22">Alex J. King</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3156-1607">0000-0002-3156-1607</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Justin+C%2E+Bui%22">Justin C. Bui</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4525-957X">0000-0003-4525-957X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adam+Z%2E+Weber%22">Adam Z. Weber</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7749-1624">0000-0002-7749-1624</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alexis+T%2E+Bell%22">Alexis T. Bell</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5738-4645">0000-0002-5738-4645</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Frances+A%2E+Houle%22">Frances A. Houle</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5571-2548">0000-0001-5571-2548</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Chemical+Education%22"><i>Journal of Chemical Education</i></searchLink>. 2023 100(7):2686-2695.
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  Data: Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
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  Data: Y
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  Group: Src
  Data: 10
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  Data: 2023
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Science%22">Elementary School Science</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+Instruction%22">Science Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemistry%22">Chemistry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+Conservation%22">Energy Conservation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+Education%22">Energy Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Active+Learning%22">Active Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hands+on+Science%22">Hands on Science</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Botany%22">Botany</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gap%22">Achievement Gap</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Group+Students%22">Minority Group Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00085
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  Data: 0021-9584<br />1938-1328
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Artificial photosynthesis is a promising approach to generate commodity chemicals using abundant chemical feedstocks and renewable energy sources. Despite its importance, affordable and effective hands-on classroom activities that demonstrate artificial photosynthesis and teach key concepts, especially for primary school students, are lacking. Educating young students on this topic is a critical step in the development of the next-generation energy workforce, especially one that is diverse in race and gender. We hypothesize that an effective approach to educate a broad range of young students on the topic of artificial photosynthesis is through the use of an active learning-based lesson plan that employs cheap and accessible materials. This hypothesis is confirmed by evaluating the understanding of fifth grade students with a survey before and after a lesson plan on artificial photosynthesis that uses active-learning techniques and uses safe and highly accessible materials (baking soda, tap water, plastic jars, Ni coil, alligator clips, and a solar cell) to perform solar-powered water splitting. The lesson plan and survey questions are designed to align with the educational outcomes for fifth grade classrooms in California and to address four general learning objectives: (1) Motivations of Artificial Photosynthesis, (2) Applications of Artificial Photosynthesis, (3) Inputs and Outputs of Artificial Photosynthesis, and (4) Engineering Design for Artificial Photosynthesis. The survey data demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in overall student understanding from the lesson plan. Importantly, the data show that the lesson plan presented here is effective at narrowing the performance gap between minority students and overly represented groups.
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: EJ1444508
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00085
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 2686
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Science
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Science Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Chemistry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy Conservation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Energy Education
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 5
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Active Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Hands on Science
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      – SubjectFull: Botany
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      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gap
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      – SubjectFull: Minority Group Students
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      – SubjectFull: Equal Education
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      – SubjectFull: California
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Toward a Diverse Next-Generation Energy Workforce: Teaching Artificial Photosynthesis and Electrochemistry in Elementary Schools through Active Learning
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