Teaching Geothermal Energy Using Context Effects Approach

Abstract

The purpose of our study is to provide new insights on the relations between geothermal energy and society and to shed light on solutions in the realm of geothermal education. We set up an experiment in order to propose a designed pedagogy approach built around context and students’ conceptions. This innovative approach consists in a scientific inquiry based on context, associated with collaborative work between students who are living in places where geothermal energy contexts can be very different: Guadeloupe (Lesser Antilles) and Quebec. Guadeloupe is a volcanic island located on a subduction area, providing a strong potential for high-temperature geothermal energy. The Bouillante geothermal plant produces about 8% of the Guadeloupian local demand for electricity. In Quebec, geological and geodynamical contexts are different: very low-temperature geothermal energy is used mostly to regulate temperature in buildings (for heating and air-conditioning). Our experiment is based on a preliminary calculation of differences between the geothermal contexts in those two regions. The calculation is done through a modeling of geothermal contexts in Guadeloupe and Quebec. Its pedagogical purpose is to provide the teachers with suggestions for the creation of learning scenarios, facilitated by the confrontation of distant students’ conceptions. This confrontation can lead to the emergence of context effects. Those context effects are phenomenon that allow the learners to realize the contextuality of their own conceptions and therefore to share and acquire open conceptions and diversified knowledge. During the experiments two types of data were collected: video recordings of students’ interactions between Guadeloupe and Quebec, and pre and post-test questionnaires containing students’ conceptions about the general concept of geothermal energy. Thanks to the analysis of video recordings (verbal, para-verbal and non-verbal analysis), it has been observed that context effects often result into changes in students’ emotional states (surprise and astonishment for example). Pre and post-test aiming to collect students’ conceptions before and after the experiment also highlights the existence of learners’ conceptual changes associated with their learning process. The experiment reveals that geothermal education can be designed by taking into account not only learners' prior conceptions, but also their local context in order to anchor knowledge on geothermal energy and facilitate learning. It can also include other contexts so the students can acquire more global and more expert knowledge about this concept. The context effects-based approaches can be a support for the creation of innovative pedagogies which will improve the rise of cognitive processes, helping with the learning of new knowledge. In addition, in relation with the sustainable development principles, context effects-based approaches, in education, provide to the students a local understanding of scientific concepts, combined with a global appreciation of needs, resources and applications of those scientific concepts. The authors would like to thank the GEOTREF project for financial support. This project is funded by ADEME in the frame of les investissements d’avenir program. Partners of the GEOTREF project are Kidova, Teranov, Mines ParisTech, ENS Paris, GeoAzur, Georessources, IMFT, IPGS, LHyGes, UA, UCP-GEC.