Energy literacy affects everything from our utility bills, to our government, to the future of our economy. Energy literacy affects public perception of energy topics and can shape the outcome of elections, business deals and consumer behaviors.
In order to have a country full of informed citizens and empowered consumers–as well as successful students–we must address the lack of energy literacy as a matter of urgency in both formal and informal learning environments.
Educators at all levels and leaders of companies involved with the energy industry need a resource that’s both budget-conscious and comprehensive.
Traditional resources for textbooks and professional development on the topic of energy are often prohibitively expensive, quickly rendered irrelevant or missing key design and content features that fully engage all types of learning styles.
When developed successfully, energy literacy can heighten engagement in key STEM subjects, providing real-world applications and context to lessons across academic disciplines and areas of industry.
Fostering energy literacy might seem like a daunting endeavor because of the sheer amount of information and the relative complexity of the subject matter, but with some creativity and innovation, we can educate learners of all levels about this vital topic.
By focusing on the content, presentation and distribution of Energy 101, Dr. Michael Webber transformed his award-winning Massive Open Online Course into an innovative digital resource.
Dr. Webber calls Energy 101 a “grand survey of energy.” It covers the scientific and engineering principles of energy, the policy and economics affecting energy and teaches the “language of energy.” These core competencies set the foundation for informed citizenship, academic success and confident professional application of energy knowledge.
The content of Energy 101 is written by Dr. Webber, an energy expert with the professional experience and academic credentials to effectively execute the innovative tool that is Energy 101. He focused on breaking down fundamentals of energy while providing the tools to question, analyze and discern solutions from energy technology and policy.
Dr. Webber has identified learning opportunities for students and professionals that can be met head-on with his expertise, knowledge and experience as collected in Energy 101.
While having an expert like Dr. Webber virtually at your fingertips is a great way to promote energy literacy among learners, the presentation of that content is vital to the overall success of the resource.
By transforming Energy 101 from a MOOC to a digital resource, Dr. Webber has made his expertise accessible to students, instructors and professionals in a format that’s adaptable and practical.
Today’s learners are dynamic and digitally savvy, with a multitude of learning styles to accommodate in both academic and professional settings.
That’s why we built Energy 101 beyond the status quo of information delivery—it integrates facts, tables, video, interactive graphics, and animation, all in a responsive, easy-to-read site. These digital solutions create brand new learning experiences that are empathetic and engaging to better harness learning opportunities.
Distribution of energy-related content is key because the field moves so quickly and relevancy is vital to effective application of energy knowledge. Energy 101 lives on the web, where improvements and updates can be rolled out regularly and learners can connect to the content on their preferred devices.
Energy 101 is a great tool in the fight for energy literacy. We hope your learners find it informative, engaging and intuitive–no matter what learning environment they are in.
To learn more, check out the demo or get in touch today.
Image Credits: Sergey Nivens/stock.adobe.com.
