PROJECT-BASED LEARNING AND SOLAR ENERGY UTILIZATION USING LOCALLY DESIGNED SOLAR CONCENTRATOR: ENCOURAGING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES AMONG NIGERIAN SCIENCE STUDENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20319/pijtel.2017.11.2850Keywords:
Project-Based Learning, Students, Sustainable Development, Solar Concentrator, Solar EnergyAbstract
Emerging trends in education reforms have continued to call for quality education that will foster the ability of learners to meet the challenges of the 21st century and encourage their participation in sustainable development issues. The wealth drawn from quality education form the basis to finding solutions to issues of national economy beginning from needs of rural people. The current economic recession in Nigeria radically challenges the system of education to shift from factory model of education to a more proactive system of education through PBL. Twenty secondary school students from Anambra State, Nigeria participated in the study. The study was an experiment that involved the participants in designing a solar concentrator using locally available materials. The students used the designed solar concentrator to generate high temperatures at the focal region of the concentrator where the absorber was positioned. The incoming solar radiation was measured periodically for four days using pyranometer between 8.00 to 18.00 hours. The temperatures of the concentrator surface, the focal region (the absorber), the control, the ambient, the air within the aperture of the concentrator and outside the concentrator were monitored using mercury-in-glass thermometers. Results revealed that the rise in temperature of the absorber was much higher than that of the control, concentrator surface and ambient temperatures. The behavior of the system was similar for all the days, with the maximum temperatures obtained at the absorber between 12.30 hours and 14.30 hours (70 ºC to 96 ºC). The temperature of the collector varied between 43˚C and 45˚C while the ambient temperature varied slightly from about 30oC to 32oC. The results clearly showed that the designed solar concentrator was an effective solar cooker/solar furnace and could function better than most kerosene stoves which exude smoke and pollute the air. Collaborative working in groups also enhanced the acquisition of soft and generic skills.
References
Abbot, D. (2009). Keeping the Energy Debate Clean: How Do We Supply the World’s Energy Needs? In Proceedings of the IEEE, 98(1): 42-66, solar energy alone has the capability to meet the current energy demand. https://doi.org/10.1109/JPROC.2009.2035162
Ataide, L. J. & Desai, A. A. (2017). Solar Power Optimizer for DC Distribution System. Global Research and Development Journal for Engineering, (2)4, 58-63.
Atherton, J. S. (2011). Learning and teaching: assimilation and accommodation. Retrieved on-line 2 January, 2013 http://www.learningteaching,info/learning/assimilation
Bamidele, E. F. & Oloyede, E. O. (2013). Compararive effectiveness of hierarchical, flowchart and spider concept mapping strategies on students’ performance in chemistry. World Journal of Education. 3 (1), 66-76.
Eynon, B., Gambino, L. M., & Török, J. (2014). Reflection, Integration, and ePortfolio Pedagogy. Retrieved from http://c2l.mcnrc.org/pedagogy/ped-analysis/
Grant, M. M., & Branch, R. B. (2005). Project-based learning in a middle school: Tracing abilities through the artifacts of learning. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(1), 65-98. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2005.10782450
Heritage, M., Jones, B.,Tobiason, G., & Chang.S. (2013). Fundamentals of Learning: Resource #2. Retrieved from www.k12.wa.us/…damentalsofLearning-Heritageetal.pdf
Hernandéz-Ramos, P., &De La Paz, S. (2009). Learning history in middle school by designing multimedia in a project-based learning experience. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(2), 151-173. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2009.10782545
Jacobson, M.Z., Delucchi, M.A. (2011). Providing all global energy with wind, water, and solar power, Part 1: Technologies, energy resources, quantities and areas of infrastructure, and materials. Energy Policy 39, 1154–1169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2010.11.040
Jacobson, M.Z., Delucchi, M.A. A (2009). Path to sustainable energy by 2030. Sci. Am. 301, 58–65 https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1109-58
Kelsey, L. S. (2013). The Impact of the Factory Model of Education in CentralTexas.A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Baylor University. Educational reconstruction and post-colonial curriculum development:
Larmer, J., Mergendoller, J. & Boss, S. (2015). Setting the Standard for project-based learning. ASCD BOOKS
Mitchell, S., Foulger, T. S., & Wetzel, K., Rathkey, C. (2009). The negotiated project approach: Project-based learning without leaving the standards behind. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(4), 339-346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-008-0295-7
Muhammad-Sukki, F. R., Ramirez-Iniguez, S.G. McMeekin, B.G. S & Clive, B. (2015). Solar Concentrators. International Journal of Applied Sciences (IJAS), (1), 1, 1-15
Nwosu, A. A. (2004). Teachers’ awareness of creativity related behaviours science classroom. Journal of Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria 39 (1&2), 22-26
OECD (2001).Sustainable development: Critical Issues
Opara, M. F. & Waswa, P. (2013). Enhancing Students’ Achievement in chemistry through the Piagetian model: The Learning cycle International Journal of Cross disciplinary Subjects in Education 4, (4), 1270 -1278
Pellegrino, J. W., & Hilton, M. L. (Eds.). (2012). Education for life and work: Developing transferable knowledge and skills in the 21st century. Washington, DC: National Academies Press
Piaget, J. (1977). Equilibration of cognitive structures. New York: Viking
Salman, M. F., Olawoye, F.A. & Yahaya, L. A. (2011). Education reforms in Nigeria: Implications for girl-child participation in science, technology and mathematics (STM). Education Research Journal 1 (1), 1-8.
Tamim, S. R. & Grant, M. M. (2013). Definitions and Uses: Case study of teachers implementing project-based learning. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-based Learning 7 (2) 72–101 https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1323
Taurina, T. (2007). Secondary school teaching and Maori student achievement in science. MAI Review, Intern Research Report II, 1-12
Ulrich, C. (2016). John Dewey and the project-based learning: landmarks for nowadays Romanian education. Journal of Educational Sciences & Psychology; Vol. VI (LXVIII) No. 1B 54 – 60
Vander Ark, T. & Schneider, C. (2014). Deeper Learning for every student every day. GettingSmart.com. Deeperlearning4all.org
Watters, A. (2015). The invented history of the factory model of education. Retrieved April 28, 2017 from hackeducation.com/2015/04/25/factory model
WHO (2012). Women and health: today’s evidence, tomorrow’s agenda. WHO Press).
Woldeammanuel, M., Atagana, H. & Engida, T. (2013). Students’ anxiety towards the learning of chemistry in some Ethiopian Universities. AJCE 3(2), 28-3
Woolfolk, A. & Margetts, K. (2013). Educational Psychology. 3rd Ed. NSW Pearson Australia, 95-100; 323.
Woolfolk, A. & Margetts, K. (2013). Educational Psychology. 3rd Ed. NSW Pearson Australia, 95-100; 323.
Yang, L.S., Liang, T. J. and J. F.Chen, (2009). Transformerless DC-DC converters with high step-up voltage gain, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron, (56) 8, 3144–3152 in L. J. Ataide & A. A. Desai (2017) Solar Power Optimizer for DC Distribution System.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Copyright of Published Articles
Author(s) retain the article copyright and publishing rights without any restrictions.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
