This learning scenario, created by Marcin Jabłoński is about Photovoltaics Sources and Solar Energy.
It must be a defect of the human being, but one tends to get closer to what is known than to what has yet to be explored. As an industrial engineer and professor of Technology, when I read something related to my training, my eyes go back.
Photovoltaics (PV) is a field of science and technology dealing with the conversion of sunlight into electricity within the content that I teach in my subject, specifically in the third year of secondary school. It is also a type of energy that in the area of Spain, the Mediterranean, where I live, could be exploited much more than what is done, so it generates much more concern in me.
The implementation context
We are in the state of emergency in Spain, due to the health crisis caused by COVID-19, so schools have been closed since mid-March. Our education delegation has provided us with some tools to continue distance learning, including Webex. This application will be the one we will use to be able to make a video conference with my group during three sessions, that this LS is going to occupy us with. Also the students can use their mobile phones to talk by pairs using one App: Telegram or Whastapp for discussing about their tasks.
The preparation
Our first session begins by asking students what they know about solar energy: each one will take 5 minutes to search the library in Europeana for an image and an idea that will bring us closer to the definition of solar energy. It is the moment for explaining them what is Europeana and how they can take profit of it. Then we will share the pictures and the sentences related with the concept, and the teacher will summarize the most relevant definitions we reach.
Teaching process
It is time to start with Basic STEM issues and PV electrical engineering, theoretical foundations of operation, schemes and implementation in industry are discussed. The teacher shows, how solar energy works, with the help of one of these videos about this topic in Youtube.
The teacher ask the students to watch these videos again, when the lesson has been finished and she explains the task they have to do. They have to look for the purposefulness of using PV, in Europeana and other websites, in the second session and present their arguments in the third session, following the teacher’s guide, via Webex.
Learning outcomes
The students really liked this activity, especially because in Alicante we enjoy a lot of sun hours, and they have seen several types of PV power in their city, but they didn´t know how it worked and its different purposes.
It is surprising that even though it is a group that already has previous knowledge of types of energy, solar energy was probably the most unknown.
In addition, students have learnt to use Webex application to connect with the rest of the group and with the teacher, also the Canva application to make an exhibition poster of the purposes of PV power energy.
Finally, the teacher showed the students an easy way to construct simple circuits, to understand how photovoltaic cell works, with Crocodyle. They can explore it by their own and ask the teacher any doubt at the third session.
Teaching outcomes
Personally, I am grateful to have been able to implement this activity and guide students throughout this PV sources research. In this sense, we have noticed the interest of the student about renewable energy sources and the results are really interesting, because they have been aware of the importance of empowering this type of energy in the near future, and that they can help to care for our planet, reduce pollution levels and perhaps prevent the spread of other possible pandemics.
In the other side, an exhibition poster was created by the teacher, also with Canva, to remember all the tasks done in this Learning Scenario and the most interesting conclusions.
Post-comment
I have found it a very attractive LS, both for students and teachers, due to the approach it is given and the very interesting data it provides: from the composition of the photovoltaic panels to the electrical power that can be stored, including the curious applications that we find of these (measuring automation as well as energy production in the first solar power plants). I have found it a curious fact that Germany, being a country that does not enjoy too many hours of sunshine, has been the one that has invested the most in PV panels in Europe. We should take a note…
Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario? Link to the learning scenario implemented: PV Sources – Solar Energy.
Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.
CC BY 4.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the National Library of Israel.
