RET Site: Climate Changemakers in Waste Upcycling, Water Justice and Sustainable Energy

University Of San Diego, San Diego CA

Investigators

Abstract

The new three-year RET Site: Climate Changemakers in Waste Upcycling, Water Justice and Sustainable Energy (RET_CCM) is hosted by the University of San Diego. Eight to ten teachers and pre-service teachers will participate each year. A model of “Changemaking Engineering,” that prepares future practitioners to innovate engineering solutions within a contextual framework that embeds humanitarian, sustainable and social justice approaches with technical skills will be made accessible to these future and current middle school science teachers, and in turn their students. These teacher-scholars will engage in a year long process to address a local, community-based climate change challenge related to either waste, water, or energy. In addition, teacher-scholars will also receive training and mentorship in reflective practice, to improve awareness and implementation of their own professional practice; and lesson study to inform K-12 pedagogical approaches in climate-change related engineering education. This approach may yield an engineering profession and practice paradigm that is supportive of learners and graduates to responsibly apply engineering methods and social awareness to solutions in local and global contexts. The new three-year RET Site: Climate Changemakers in Waste Upcycling, Water Justice and Sustainable Energy (RET_CCM) is hosted by the University of San Diego. A cohort of eight to ten teachers and pre-service teachers will participate each year. A model of “Changemaking Engineering,” that prepares future practitioners to innovate engineering solutions within a contextual framework that embeds humanitarian, sustainable and social justice approaches with technical skills will be made accessible to these future and current middle school science teachers, and in turn their students. STEM teachers will be mentored and supported to achieve the following program outcomes: 1)An advanced research-based understanding of local climate change challenges around waste, water or energy, and related mitigation and /or adaptation solutions through the lens of eco-social justice and the praxis of socio-technical engineering research and development; 2) Experience and competency in conducting a three-tiered socio-technical research model that includes engaging in ongoing applied research and development on a community-centered climate change issue in either waste, water or energy; pedagogical action research to systematically investigate and ultimately improve the teaching/learning of climate-change topics; and reflective practice to improve awareness and implementation of one’s own professional approach; 3) Production of corresponding original, hands-on and NGSS-aligned engineering learning experiences for their students; and 4) Leadership roles in climate change education within their school, district and the university community. The RET_CCM program will make the socio-technical engineering education and praxis paradigm applicable to learning experiences in K-12 settings. This approach may yield an engineering profession and practice paradigm that is supportive of learners and graduates to responsibly apply engineering methods and social awareness to solutions in local and global contexts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.