Renewable+Energy+Scientist+-+Alex+Fox

Alex Fox 01/28/14 STSS 4965 Curriculum Review Memo #1

What organization developed the curriculum module? It is developed by PBS through PBS kids and dragonfly TV.

What is the overall mission of the organization? What is the educational mission and philosophy of the organization? PBS is a public broadcasting channel whose “mission is to create content that educates, informs, and inspires.” ("PBS - Be More"). PBS has created PBS kids which create programs and television shows to fulfill this mission while catering to young children.

What does the curriculum module aim to teach? In other words: what are the learning outcomes supposed to be? PBS kids created a series of videos called Scientist Profile. Each video focuses on a different profession within the field of science. These videos teach what each profession does and what sort of knowledge goes into the job. These videos are supposed to show children all of the cool things that science has contributed to the world we live in today as well as the jobs they could grow up to be one day. One of the videos they made focused on a Renewable Energy Scientist. My critique is specifically on this video on the series.

Do you think that the curriculum is appropriately designed to produce the intended learning outcomes? The video does a good job of showing what this specific woman does in the field of renewable energy but I think that the video would be more effective if they had interviewed another renewable energy scientist that worked a different project. The video also touches upon how this field requires lots of math and problem solving which also fills the goal of informing kids what it takes to be in this profession. Alongside these intended learning outcomes the video also touches upon the subject or renewable energy and preservation of nature. These were not intended outcomes but were accomplished in the making of this video. The scientist talks about her current work with solar panels and windmills to get renewable energy to power houses that otherwise would not have electricity. In doing this kids are introduced to the idea of some forms renewable energy, what it does, and what it looks like. She also talks of how she was loves nature and working with nature but I see a missed connection between nature preservation and renewable energy. In all I think the video does reach its intended outcomes.

Does this curriculum teach the kind of literacies advocated by EcoEd? This video accomplishes the literacy goal of getting kids to understand the different scientific disciplines, especially the series of videos all together. This video also touches upon the literacy goal of getting kids to understand alternative ways of organizing things. The video displays a house that is off the electricity grid but is able to get all of the electricity it needs from renewable sources such as wind and solar. This is not how most people get their electricity but this video shows it is possible and it can be done.

What could be layered into this curriculum so that it addresses more of the learning outcomes advocated by EcoEd? A way to expand this video to cover more literacy goals would be to make the video longer, including more scientists and scientific disciplines involving environmental issues, and connecting these disciplines to current environmental problems. This would expand the kids understanding of different scientific disciplines and also the interconnectedness of science, the environment, and our ability to affect both of these.

Works Cited “PBS – Be More.” //PBS.// Web. 28 Jan 2014.

“Scientist Profile: Renewable Energy Scientist.” //PBS Learning Media//. Web. 28 Jan 2014.