situated learning - k-12 - energizing the future

Detailed Description:

In this scenario, students assume the role of citizens in a town that is about to build a new power plant. Through the use of a situated learning environment, they will explore the different types of power plants available, and evaluate which one is best for their particular town. They will have to carefully weigh the costs and environmental impacts of any potential plan through the use of embedded data. Much of this data will be in the form of opinions from local people in their town, and profiles of other towns in the U.S. with power plants.

Students will be placed in a mock town hall meeting. The topic of the meeting is which power plant the town should choose since their energy needs are increasing. Embedded in this situation is data relevant to that particular town, including its budget, local geography, and local environmental habitat. The students will have to pay attention to all of the arguments made by the local townspeople, as this is where most of the data will come from.  The students are then given a map of the U.S. with other towns that have recently built power plants. The students can then click on the map and learn more about that local town’s budget, geography, and environmental habitat. They will also see how the recently built power plant has affected each of these things for that particular town. After examining each town, the students will be asked to reflect on the pros and cons of that particular town’s decision. They will also be asked to reflect on whether or not that type of plant would be feasible in their own town. After examining and reflecting on all of the towns, the students are to create a presentation justifying which power plant they think should be built.

Learning Outcomes:

The learner will be able to:

• Assess the benefits of various types of power plants.
• Assess  the drawbacks of various types of power plants.
• Evaluate the specific needs of an individual town.
• Evaluate the pros and cons of placing different types of power plants within a particular town.
• Explain their stance on a controversial issue.