national academy of engineering phase i educational partnership: climate change, engineered systems...

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING

Phase I Educational Partnership: Climate Phase I Educational Partnership: Climate Change, Engineered Systems and Society Change, Engineered Systems and Society

Initial Partners: NAE, U VA – Charlottesville, Colorado

School of Mines, Arizona State University, Boston Museum of Science

Focus: Issues of climate and engineered systems in society, including governance, sustainability, justice and public trust and engagement. Core Recognition: That society mediates issues of climate

through engineered systems. Core Recognition: That the mediation includes issues of public

trust and engagement and governance. Core Recognition: That questions of justice and sustainability

will be decided in that mediation.

Overall Project Goal: Better to prepare current and future engineers, students, policymakers, and the public to meet climate challenges for engineered systems and society.

NSF 1043289September 2010 – August 2012



Initial Partners: NAE, U VA – Charlottesville, Colorado School of Mines, Arizona State University, Boston Museum of Science

Additional Partners: Alliance for Innovation (AFI), Arizona Science Center (ASC), Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), Duke University, North Dakota Assoc of Tribal Colleges (NDATC), Penn State (PSU), Red Rocks Community College (RRCC), Sciencenter (SC)

Delineation of Project Goals: To develop a national network of US educational institutions that can provide citizens, leaders, and professionals with the knowledge and skills to understand, assess, and respond to the increasing vulnerabilities of the nation’s engineered systems to climate change. This national effort will focus on: undergraduate, community college, and tribal college

education, communities and community leadership, informal education in science centers, involving children

and adults



Project Activities: Network activation and expansion, partner education and

outreach via workshops, discussion, research Four in-person management meetings, two workshops, and

(planning) final expanded meeting to review findings and next steps

Monthly teleconferences of key personnel allowed partners to process project evaluations and report on their research and outreach efforts. In recent months, teleconferences occurred more often and involved new partners in Phase II preparations.

NAE sponsored two network workshops. The first workshop focused on the technical and normative dimensions of the issues; the second concentrated on the educational dimensions. Reports are in preparation.

June 7–8: “Climate, Society, and Technology,” Irvine, CA October 18–19: “Networking Education on Climate, Society, and

Technology,” Washington DC Teams from original and new partners developed inventories of

relevant climate education materials, courses and programs, and researched issues for effective education and cases.

Teams identified test-beds for implementing and assessing these materials and approaches.



Project Priorities: Continue case development and targeted effective

learning materials for network audiences – general public, undergraduates, community leadership, and engineering and technical workforce members.

Undertake preliminary test-bed experiments. Identify additional experts and suitable local partners. Complete workshop and evaluation reports. Phase I wrap-up workshop: Partners, External Advisory

Board and Evaluator Perspectives Expand professional and online educational networks. For Phase I project information, see

http://www.onlineethics.org/Topics/Enviro/Climate.aspx




Project Outcomes: Eight leaders in education, engineering and science have

agreed to be members of the external advisory board. Stakeholder conversations and interviews indicate

agreement about the severity of infrastructure vulnerabilities, multiple pedagogical needs, and the associated unmet need for multiple pedagogical approaches.

Two theoretical frameworks for the effort: STEM learning requires cognitive, epistemic, and social/cultural components; educational success requires adaptive instruction and assessment of learning performance and strategies.

Teams at the partnering institutions have identified a suite of cases to illustrate key issues, such as planning for urban heat islands, and ports and sea level rise.

Teams have delineated approaches for segmented audiences: undergraduate education, science centers and museums, community forums


national academy of engineering phase i educational partnership: climate change, engineered systems...

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