Project description

Energy office – E-learning and information services for sustainable energy consultancy

Considering this motto the project partners set up at first some regional virtual enterprises which provide information, e-learning units und consulting to the subjects energy saving and renewable energies.

The main goal of these enterprises is to disseminate the knowledge of renewable energies and methods of energy saving, to increase the use of the methods and of course to develop methodical-didactical approaches for innovative and sustainable integration of the subjects into curricula of different commercial, technical and other educations.

Political facets concerning the subject Renewable Energy

In 2002 the EU commission published an action plan on World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), aiming an increasing use of renewable energies in the world.

In addition the EU announced the aim to enhance the part of renewable energy to 12% of the whole energy supply until 2010. German gouvernment decided to target 12.5 % until 2010.

Considering these aims we started to find connecting factors to consider the subject renewable energy in different curricula and in different types of school.

The situation in Germany First of all the vocational college Schlankrey is responsible for the VET of industrial clerks and estate agents (Dual System). In IVET of industrial clerks the concept sustainability is mentioned in the special curriculum, but up to now there is no hint of related competences that are to qualify. The IVET of estate agents has a new curriculum embracing the subject sustainability and energy. But there is lack of concrete competences related to this subject. On the other hand there is broad agreement on the need of special competences like energy consulting assessment of buildings concerning energy use. The project takes these issues and aims to combine target group orientation, qualification and entrepreneuship to integrate the subject into all curricula.

The meaning of associated partners Besides commercial curricula we set up networks with partners who are interested in the subject. One of the most important partners is the Berufliche Schule Niendorf, a vocational college for social pedagogy. The students of that school work in kindergartens. Different to the other partners they will develop projects with children concerning  the experience of energy.
The vocational college G6 conducted spectacular solar projects in Afrika. The contact partner - Herbert Brockmann - contributed with an exciting report about that project. You will fin more information on the German section following the link Best Practice.
The situation in Finland The school in Riihimäki is very modern and it is EMAS certified. That means it has a controlling systems concerning environmental issues. All curricula of that school include environmental topics. But even this school is interested in a broad integration of renewable energy in curricula. And it appreciates the concept of  entrepreneuship embodied in this project.
The situation in Romania The Grupul scolar industrial energetic is similar to a vocational college. They have two profiles of qualifications, electrical engineering and IT. The new pinciple is developing a new curriculum concerning technical competences of renewable energies within our project. In addition he is author of several books and articles dealing with renewable energies at school.

Approach of the project

All partners set up a virtal company to focus different results on common target groups. This approach ensures opportunities to integrate the work in different courses and school forms. The virtual company offers a broad range of contents like consulting, information, learning units, news, political news concerning renewableenergy and so on. Target groups are industrial companies, private people, schools and kindergartens.

The virtual enterprises will be realised by the partners who will develop and agree on a business plan. Each enterprise will be present fundamentally only on a website. That enables the development and publishing of information and e-learning units. And this approach has as advantage the customer orientation of all cases and activities integrated in lessons. In the first step all partners will develop the required materials and methods which fit in the projected offers of the intended virtual enterprise. And all partners will test and evaluate methods for integrating the subject energy saving and renewable energies into school organisation and curricula. Based on these results all partners will develop the premises for setting up and running an international enterprise for sustainable energy consultancy. They will develop workflows to integrate production and publishing of information and learning units in English. In the third step partners will enhance contents and market the virtual enterprise to increase the divulgement of knowledge and use and to stabilise the new developed curricula.