4/10/2007 Rick Kubetz, College of Engineering
The Education Group of the National Science Foundation
Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for Power (TCIP) project have developed two interactive Java-based activities geared towards teaching middle school and high school students about power and energy, and the national power grid. In collaboration with the College of Education’s Office for
Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (MSTE), related curriculum materials for teachers have also been developed and pilot-tested in schools.
Written by Rick Kubetz, College of Engineering
The Education Group of the National Science Foundation Trustworthy Cyber Infrastructure for Power (TCIP) project have developed two interactive Java-based activities geared towards teaching middle school and high school students about power and energy, and the national power grid. In collaboration with the College of Education’s Office for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (MSTE), related curriculum materials for teachers have also been developed and pilot-tested in schools.
“We believe that no other educational materials of this kind exist today,” stated Molly Tracy, associate director of the Information Trust Institute (ITI) at Illinois. “Now that testing is essentially completed, we are getting ready to release and distribute these applets and materials. The lessons were demonstrated as part of the power lab display at this spring’s Engineering Open House, and at a meeting of the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics at Western Illinois University as we begin our national distribution.”
The applet for Lesson One, “Power and Energy in the Home,” shows power flowing through the transformer drum, the meter, and into the home circuit breaker panel. From there, it powers various appliances including video game consoles, Energy Star appliances, standard light bulbs, and hair dryers. On-screen switches open and close with a click of a mouse, allowing students to turn appliances on and off and track power usage.
“By interacting with the applet, students learn important concepts such as power conservation, network flows, and the relationship between power and energy,” explained Zeb Tate, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering and primary developer of the TCIP project applets.
Lesson Two, "The Power Grid," explores how power is distributed from generators to several different communities. The applet utilizes five different types of generators—wind, coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, and nuclear. Students can change the amount of power produced by the generators and the power consumed by the communities. In addition, all of the transmission lines can be opened or closed using a simple point-and-click interface. As changes are made to the system, the applet instantly updates the line flows on the system. With the accompanying printed materials, students interact with the applet to learn about network flow, the capabilities of various generation types, and how all the pieces of the power system fit together.
“There are several things that I think are very good about the work we’ve been doing in the TCIP Education Group,” explained Tate. “The most interesting aspect of this project is that it has been a true collaboration from the beginning. Our goal is to make the applets and curriculum materials both scientifically and pedagogically sound. Ultimately, I think that the quality of the applets and curriculum materials really indicates how beneficial this collaboration has been.” Other contributors include ITI member and ECE professor Thomas J Overbye, Tracy, and George Reese and Jana Sebestik--the primary developer of the teacher materials--from College of Education.
“The software and related materials were highly praised by NSF during our TCIP site review in December,” explained ITI Director William Sanders, who is also an ECE professor. “For most of us, the electricity we use is always available at the flick of a switch. Hopefully, we can create a better understanding of the systems that provide that power, so that today’s students can make good decisions tomorrow.”
The TCIP lessons may be downloaded at:
- Lesson One, “Power and Energy in the Home”
- Lesson Two, "The Power Grid"
For more information, contact: Jana Sebestik, Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (MSTE), (217) 244-1366, sebestik@illinois.edu.