<aside> 🏆 Winner of the 2022 Apgar Award for Innovation in Teaching! 🌟
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During companion courses taught by Professor Maron Greenleaf and Professor Sarah Kelly, students participated in a new Energy Justice Clinic where they engaged in experiential service learning. The professors wanted students in both courses to understand environmental and energy issues as deeply social, not just technical. Therefore, Professors Maron Greenleaf and Sarah Kelly asked:
“How can we use design to help our students empathize with people involved in environmental and energy conflicts and transformation?”
Through the Clinic, students used design methodologies to empathize with community partners involved in environmental and energy decision-making about sustainable local futures. Partners included the Mapuche-Williche Indigenous communities in Chile, who are engaged in a water-energy conflict, and the town of Hanover and other New Hampshire communities, who are making the shift to renewable energy sources. To begin to understand these energy transitions, students first engaged in design activities to select their research topics and objectives. Then they conducted surveys and interviews and analyzed documents with continuous input from community partners. At the end of the winter term, each team of students developed a report of their findings. During the spring term, students continued using design exercises to make the research more participatory.
At first, some of the students were overwhelmed by the energy justice case study options and having the freedom to decide their own steps. They wanted set jobs and a set final project upfront--as they would in a normal course. The uncertainty of the design process challenged them and the professors to think about what ownership of the work would look like in a short period of time.
Ultimately, the students in the first course decided to create reports for the students in the spring course. The experience was incredibly rewarding for those students, and they appreciated having more influence in the research project process and outcomes. The students in the spring course experienced similar levels of uncertainty, followed by an increased confidence in their artistic and creative abilities as they took ownership of their projects. The community partners also gave great feedback about working with the students.
“The confidence and enthusiasm the students showed as they progressed and finished their projects affirms the value of this form of education.” - Professor
