Ganesh, T. G., & Thieken, J., & Randall, L. S., & Smith, A. W. (2011, June), Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content  Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18999

\bibitem{asee_peer_18999}
  Ganesh, T. G., \& Thieken, J., \& Randall, L. S., \& Smith, A. W. (2011, June), \emph{Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content}
  Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC.
  10.18260/1-2--18999

Tirupalavanam G. Ganesh, Johnny Thieken, Lisa Stapley Randall, and Alison W. Smith.  "Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content".  2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2011.  https://strategy.asee.org/18999 Internet.  16 Jun, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_18999}
  Tirupalavanam G. Ganesh, Johnny Thieken, Lisa Stapley Randall, and Alison W. Smith.
  "Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content".
  \emph{2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition, Vancouver, BC, 2011, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2011.
  https://strategy.asee.org/18999 Internet.  16 Jun, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_18999
author = "Tirupalavanam G. Ganesh, Johnny Thieken, Lisa Stapley Randall, and Alison W. Smith"
title = "Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content"
booktitle = "2011 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition"
year = "2011"
month = "June"
address = "Vancouver, BC"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://strategy.asee.org/18999}
number = {10.18260/1-2--18999}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -            Renewable Energy Internships: Study of 7th and 8th Grade        Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering ContentAbstractThis paper describes research efforts and results of summer renewable energy internships offeredto middle school students enrolled in a two-year year-round research internship. Researchmethods used to study program impact included statistical analysis of pre- and post- tests,qualitative research techniques of eliciting information using journal writing, focus groups, andobservation. This project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) fundedInformation Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program aimed atenhancing traditionally underrepresented youths’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. Disciplinary experts from a university worked with scientistsand engineers at a local water and energy company to design and offer renewable energyinternships to participant middle school students.This industry internship with a local energy and water service provider resulted in activitieswhere participants interacted with industry employees and also engaged in engineering designchallenges such as: a) designing a solar oven to cook a hot dog, b) designing a wind turbine topower a set of LEDs, c) designing a water turbine to power a set of LEDs, and d) using ahydrogen fuel cell to power a toy-car. The full paper will describe the curricular units offeredduring the renewable energy internships, the strategies used to deliver experiences (e.g.,cognitive apprenticeships, project-based learning, the engineering design process, and inquiry-based learning via instructional planning with the learning cycle), and the ways in which studentlearning was assessed.Pre and post assessments in the form of open-ended questions related to content in the curricularunits were administered. Assessments were analyzed to determine what impact the project hadon student learning and student interests in related STEM content. A two-way repeated measuresANOVA was conducted to compare differences in the relationship between pre and postassessment scores (see Table 1). Students made poster presentations and demonstrated theproducts they designed in each of the challenges. Presentations were made to family members,industry partners, and educators.Data revealed that by engaging youth in learning experiences that emphasizes both utilitarian andinquiry-based motivations, where learning is made relevant to students’ lives, the outcome leadsto enhanced learning in content areas. We have also learned that systematic efforts are needed,such as those described in this paper where students interact with engineers in their workplacesto dispel misunderstandings regarding STEM subjects and professions. Students hadopportunities to interact with engineers at a water treatment plant and learn about tools andtechnologies used to test water quality. In addition, participants interacted with engineers whodeal with various issues related to the energy industry informally over lunch and hadopportunities to ask questions about the nature of their work, their educational pathways and howthe water and energy company functions to meet societal needs. Coordinated and carefullydesigned in-depth and long-term experiences are needed to provide students and families withknowledge of STEM education and career pathways.Table 1. Paired Samples Statistics for various curricular units                                       Mean      SD       Mean                       EffectUnit              Assessment N                                        t       P                                                       Difference                     SizeDesign water      Pre                  10.32 8.21                                 18                       70.24     19.99   <0.001   3.99                  Post car
AU  - Tirupalavanam G. Ganesh
AU  - Johnny Thieken
AU  - Lisa Stapley Randall
AU  - Alison W. Smith
CY  - Vancouver, BC
DA  - 2011/06/26
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Renewable Energy Internships: Study of Seventh and Eighth Grade Students Knowledge of Related Science and Engineering Content
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/18999
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--18999
ER  -