Prospects for renewable energy education (REE) in elevating youth energy and environmental awareness in Jordan

Abstract

Renewable Energy Education (REE) is an evolving public education approach that ultimately aims to elevate public awareness and cultivate their support toward renewable energy (RE) development. Young citizens are the pacesetters of RE development if equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills. There is, however, a lack of research studies aimed at exploring and understanding young citizens’ perceptions and attitudes toward RE, particularly in developing countries. Jordan is an example of a fossil fuel-addicted country, yet it is endowed with enormous RE potential. This dissertation provides a synthesis drawn from exploring school students’ knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward RE and their perceptions toward protection of the environment (Paper 1, IV). This study also investigated knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards RE among secondary school teachers (Paper II). The nature of interactions between students, home, school, and the role of mass media were also explored (Paper III). The results showed that females, residents of urban areas, and students of private- mixed schools were more knowledgeable of the uses and the nature of renewable energy technologies (Paper I). The study found that males seem to support nuclear power, while females favored renewables (Paper 1). Females attributed the responsibility for environmental protection to society as a whole, while males attributed it specifically to the government. However, females appeared very skeptical about the role of science/technology, and interventions from developed countries on environmental protection (Paper IV). The students’ knowledge of bioenergy appeared very weak (Paper I). Although teachers supported RE they appeared skeptical about its future development in Jordan (Paper II). The teachers thus supported nuclear power and oil shale resource utilization as a means for economic development. The students denoted their parents as a prime source of information while they indicated that the internet was an important tool to acquire information. The study suggests that educated and well-informed young citizens may convey their knowledge to their illiterate parents. TV and school activities appeared of great importance for females whilst males preferred to receive information from parents and school teachers (Paper III). The study highlighted the need to revisit the current public education policies in Jordan in order to craft new policies aimed at fostering a better knowledge of RE, its uses and benefits with special focus on females’ preferences and needs. The study also suggests developing the RE knowledge capacities of teachers to ensure successful implementation of newly crafted educational policies. The study further suggests developing public outreach campaigns through mass media with the aim of eliminating uncertainty among the public regarding future energy choices.