Renewing the Sustainable Energy Curriculum Ensuring the Teaching of Internationally Relevant Skills in Australian Universities Through Industry Input

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1 Renewing the Sustainable Energy Curriculum Ensuring the Teaching of Internationally Relevant Skills in Australian Universities Through Industry Input Chris Lund, Corkish, Trevor Pryor, Philip Jennings, Kim Blackmore, Richard Wasim Saman, Wendy Miller & Amanda Woods-McConney

2 The Issue 1990 s several Australian Universities developed renewable energy coursework programs some world leading. Curriculums & course content generally academic driven and developed not usually much input from industry. Twenty years on sustainable energy technologies, policy environment, skills and knowledge required has changed significantly still rapidly changing. University programs, content and delivery seen as not changing as fast. Student aspirations of career in industry graduate s need current knowledge and relevant capabilities.

3 How to Address the Situation? Five leading Australian Universities known for their Sustainable Energy teaching and research have undertaken a project to: Scope and develop sustainable energy curriculum frameworks for (Australian) higher education institutions that meet the needs of domestic and international student graduates and employers, both now and into the near future. The outcome: A list of sustainable energy skills, knowledge and graduate attributes required by employers which are formulated into curriculum frameworks with specified learning outcomes. These are designed to be used to assess the suitability of existing curricula and courses or guide the development of new offerings.

4 Characteristics of SE Programs There are essentially 6 types of existing Sustainable Energy (SE) coursework programs: Named undergraduate engineering degrees (e.g. BEng in RE Engineering); Named undergraduate multidisciplinary degrees (e.g. BSc in Sustainable Energy Management); Named postgraduate engineering degrees (e.g. MEng Sustainable Energy Engineering); Named postgraduate multidisciplinary degrees (e.g. MSc in Renewable Energy, Masters of Energy Studies). Majors or specialisations in conventional undergraduate degrees (e.g. BEng Electrical specialisation in renewable energy); Majors or specialisations in conventional postgraduate degrees (e.g. MEng Electrical specialisation in renewable energy); List of current known Australian programs on the project website:

5 Key Questions on Program Development & Content Delivery Anecdotal evidence showed a need to look at questions related to program structures & content delivery methods. Need for and balance between inter/multi-disciplinary training and specialist knowledge (e.g. technical vs policy etc.). Specialist programs versus embedding skills and knowledge into existing discipline training (e.g. majors in existing degrees).

6 Face-to-face versus online and blended delivery. "Why in the world would students come along and sit in a passive lecture with 300 other students when they can access material online themselves, It makes no sense to me Australian National University vice-chancellor Ian Young The Age Oct 2 nd

7 The extent of work integrated learning and teaching by industry practitioners that is optimal, or acceptable; Internationalisation of the curriculum does it meet the needs of international students studying in Australia and Australian graduates seeking to work overseas.

8 Revising the Curriculum How Hard Can That Be? Curriculum renewal in higher education can be difficult, timeconsuming, and arduous, but the payoff is a curriculum that is current, responsive, proactive and effective. (ALTC Good Practice Report: Curriculum Renewal, Narayan and Edwards, 2011). A good curriculum development process should have the following characteristics: Based on sound educational theory and approach; Student focused, shaped by the needs of graduates and affirmed by industry; and Provides a framework and methodology for ongoing renewal;

9 What is a Curriculum Framework? What capabilities should SE graduates have? Generic Graduate Capabilities Framework (From Macquarie University) ties/gradcaps_faqs/ Generic Capabilities Environmental Engineering Capability Cube (From Dowling and Hadgraft, 2013)

10 Building a SE Curriculum Frameworks Machine? Sustainable Energy Knowledge Taxonomies Existing national & international program/course content, skills reports, practical industry experience project team workshop Sustainable Energy Capability Cloths Graduate and industry surveys & interviews Curriculum mapping project team workshop Sustainable Energy Curriculum Frameworks se-cube * * Adapted from David Dowling and Roger Hadgraft A graduate capability framework for Environmental Engineering degree programs. A Guide for Australian Universities, (2013) Generic and Discipline Capability Taxonomy

11 Sustainable Energy Knowledge Taxonomies Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources and associated systems - such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, bioenergy, and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies and strategies to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions from conventional energy production and use.

12 Sustainable Energy Capabilities Cloths

13 Generic and Discipline Specific Capability Taxonomies

14 Sustainable Energy Knowledge Taxonomies The SE Curriculum Frameworks Existing national & international program/course content, skills reports, practical industry experience project team workshop Sustainable Energy Capability Cloths Graduate and industry surveys & interviews Curriculum mapping project team workshop Sustainable Energy Curriculum Frameworks se-cube * * Modified from David Dowling and Roger Hadgraft A graduate capability framework for Environmental Engineering degree programs. A Guide for Australian Universities, (2013) Generic and Discipline Capability Taxonomy

15 Curriculum Frameworks - Relationship Map

16 Detailed Curriculum Frameworks

17 Input from Industry Skill and Knowledge Requirements - Industry Power Generation Technologies Generic Skills & Professional Attributes Energy Solutions for Developing Countries Degree type* N Not at all important Somewhat important Important Very important Eng. 31 6% 17% 42% 35% Multi % 6% 25% 44% All 64 11% 11% 36% 42% Eng % 28% 63% Multi. 17 6% 0 31% 63% All 64 2% 4% 33% 61% Eng % 27% 0% 27% Multi % 13% 18% 6% All 64 49% 22% 7% 22% Energy Efficiency Eng % 47% 13% 7% Multi % 25% 37% 6% All 64 33% 37% 22% 8% Transmission, Storage Eng % 22% 10% 58% & Network Systems Multi. 17 7% 33% 27% 33% All 64 7% 28% 19% 46% Sustainable Transport Eng % 27% 37% 23% Multi % 31% 44% 12% All 64 11% 26% 39% 24% Enablers (Policy, Eng % 13% 42% 32% Economics etc.) Multi. 17 6% 0 44% 50% All 64 9% 15% 40% 36% 64 graduate responses 21 industry/employer responses 2/3 rd Engineers and 1/3 multidisciplinary Online surveys (and some interviews) of: graduates (via member Uni alumni lists); and industry representatives (via industry associations) Participating Industry Associations Australian Solar Council; Sustainable Energy Association; Clean Energy Council; Australian PV Association; & Bioenergy Australia

18 Interdisciplinarity of Content Skill and Knowledge Requirements - Industry Power Generation Technologies Generic Skills & Professional Attributes Energy Solutions for Developing Countries Degree type* N Not at all important Somewhat important Important Very important Eng. 9 11% 11% 33% 44% Multi. 9 0% 22% 33% 44% All 21 5% 20% 35% 45% Eng. 9 0% 11% 55% 33% Multi. 9 0% 0% 22% 77% All 21 0% 5% 38% 57% Eng. 9 55% 33% 11% 0% Multi. 9 22% 33% 22% 22% All 21 48% 29% 14% 10% Energy Efficiency Eng. 9 22% 22% 33% 22% Multi % 22% 55% All 21 11% 22% 28% 38% Transmission, Storage & Eng. 9 33% 11% 11% 44% Network Systems Multi. 9 0% 67% 11% 22% All 21 14% 38% 14% 33% Sustainable Transport Eng. 9 78% 22% 0% 0% Multi. 9 0% 67% 22% 11% All 21 33% 52% 6% 5% Enablers (Policy, Eng. 9 22% 11% 33% 33% Economics etc.) Multi. 9 0% 0% 44% 56% All 21 10% 4% 43% 43% Skill and Knowledge Requirements - Industry Power Generation Technologies Generic Skills & Professional Attributes Energy Solutions for Developing Countries Energy Efficiency Transmission, Storage & Network Systems Sustainable Transport Enablers (Policy, Economics etc.) Degree type* N Not at all important Somewh at importan t Importa nt Very importa nt Eng. 31 6% 17% 42% 35% Multi % 6% 25% 44% All 64 11% 11% 36% 42% Eng % 28% 63% Multi. 17 6% 0 31% 63% All 64 2% 4% 33% 61% Eng % 27% 0% 27% Multi % 13% 18% 6% All 64 49% 22% 7% 22% Eng % 47% 13% 7% Multi % 25% 37% 6% All 64 33% 37% 22% 8% Eng % 22% 10% 58% Multi. 17 7% 33% 27% 33% All 64 7% 28% 19% 46% Eng % 27% 37% 23% Multi % 31% 44% 12% All 64 11% 26% 39% 24% Eng % 13% 42% 32% Multi. 17 6% 0 44% 50% All 64 9% 15% 40% 36% ~ 56% of industry representatives and ~ 43% of graduates stated that a knowledge of Energy Efficiency was Important or Very Important. ~ 86% of industry representatives and ~ 76% of graduate stated that a knowledge of Enablers (policy, economics etc.) was Important or Very Important.

19 Input from Industry Detailed responses from industry and graduates enables calibration of the capability cloths showing: what needs to be included; whether it should be core or an elective; and to what depth (some, medium or extensive) it should be taught.

20 Generic Versus Specialised Degrees Degree types Specialised undergraduate multidisciplinary degree Specialised undergraduate SE Engineering degree Conventional undergraduate degree (e.g. Science) with major in SE Conventional undergraduate Engineering degree with major in SE Specialised postgraduate multidisciplinary SE degree Specialised postgraduate SE Engineering degree Conventional postgraduate non-engineering degree with major in SE Conventional postgraduate Engineering degree with major in SE Degree type* N Not at all relevant Least able Moderately able Most able Eng % 57% 20% 13% Multi. 17 0% 47% 41% 12% Eng. 31 3% 10% 37% 50% Multi. 17 0% 24% 38% 38% Eng. 31 3% 47% 32% 18% Multi. 17 0% 41% 47% 12% Eng. 31 0% 13% 33% 53% Multi. 17 0% 6% 81% 13% Eng. 31 7% 20% 43% 30% Multi. 17 0% 13% 50% 37% Eng. 31 3% 3% 33% 60% Multi. 17 0% 6% 50% 44% Eng % 43% 27% 20% Multi. 17 6% 38% 38% 18% Eng. 31 4% 7% 46% 43% Multi. 17 0% 31% 56% 13% Degrees most likely to provide the skills and knowledge needs of Engineering graduates in the sustainable energy industry? No real difference between Conventional Engineering degrees with major and Specialist Engineering degrees; or Undergrad and Postgrad degree. * Degree type nominated in Q47, where Eng.= SE Engineering degree, Multi = Multidisciplinary (non-engineering) SE degree. However - Specialised Postgraduate degree most likely to provide the skills and knowledge needs of Multidisciplinary graduates in the sustainable energy industry.

21 Method of Delivery Delivery options Degree type N Least desirabl e Desirable Highly desirabl e Unable to comment Conventional campus based faceto-face learning only Online/flexible delivery only based learning Blended learning (mixture of face to face and online/flexible delivery) Delivery options Conventional campus based face-to-face learning only Online/flexible delivery only based learning Blended learning (mixture of face to face and online/flexible delivery) Eng. 31 3% 30% 67% 0 Multi. 17 6% 41% 41% 12% Eng % 17% 17% 17% Multi % 35% 41% 12% Eng. 31 3% 38% 52% 7% Multi. Degr ee type 17 N 0% 29% 65% 6% Least desirable Desirable Highly desirable Unable to comment Eng % 33% 11% Multi. 9 11% 67% 11% 11% Eng. 9 22% 56% 11% 11% Multi. 9 11% 56% 11% 22% Eng. 9 11% 56% 22% 11% Multi. 9 0% 33% 56% 11% Blended learning was the most highly rated mode of delivery by Engineering and Multidisciplinary graduates. Face-to-face was the most highly rated mode of delivery by Engineering industry/employer representatives but blended learning by Multidisciplinary representatives.

22 In Conclusion A curriculum framework development process has been successfully developed with the following characteristics: Based on sound educational theory and approach; Student focused, shaped by the needs of graduates and affirmed by industry; and Provides a framework and methodology for ongoing renewal; Strong involvement from industry and graduates; Curriculum frameworks for a range of undergraduate and postgraduate sustainable energy courses available, with guidance for their use in a Curriculum Framework Guide. Guidance on delivery of the content also provided. Survey of International SE programs showed this had not been done before internationally significant. Ongoing work in progress - Review and feedback welcomed.

23 More Information More information? Copies of Curriculum Frameworks and Guide, Knowledge Taxonomies and SE Capability Cloths with narratives. Project Publications. List of current Australian University Sustainable Energy courses. on the project website: Contact:

24 The Team Chris Lund, Trevor Pryor, Philip Jennings, and Amanda Woods- M c Conney, Emiko Watanabe - Murdoch University Kim Blackmore - Australian National University Richard Corkish - University of New South Wales Wasim Saman - University of South Australia Wendy Miller - Queensland University of Technology Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching. The views in this project/activity do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Government Office for Learning and Teaching.