Toward a new energy paradigm in geography: revisiting the curriculum and teaching practices

Abstract

Aim. The aim of the article is to investigate how energy topics are presented in the geography curriculum in Lithuania and how school geography becomes an educational response to the current global challenges related to energy production and consumption.
 Methods. The article presents research using several methods: review of literature on energy geography and energy literacy, analysis of Lithuanian national curriculum for geography, content analysis of 14 geography textbooks for forms 6–12, expert interview with 9 geography teachers.
 Results. The empirical research reveals that the national curriculum and textbooks still represent the old energy paradigm with a profound focus on fossil fuel and nuclear energy resources. Meanwhile, the new energy paradigm is realised in the teaching of experienced and qualified teachers who, in addition to the new green energy economy, emphasise environmental and social issues of energy use.
 Conclusions. The conclusions include observations on necessary changes in teaching energy geography: on the one hand, by revising the formal curriculum and textbooks and integrating concepts of energy literature and new energy developments; on the other hand, by initiating changes in primary and continuous teacher education. Professional development of teachers could include new energy topics, new teaching and learning sources (political debates in media, TV, strategic energy development documents), new teaching and learning strategies and methods.

A Systematic Literature Review on Citizen Awareness of Energy

“…Therefore, teachers should be given training to teach topics about energy. Besides that, they can also improve their capabilities by self-directed learning, using the internet and reading more books about energy (Mažeikienė & Norkutė, 2021).…”

“…Unfortunately, this central position which textbooks enjoy does not help to increase energy literacy when low exposure levels about energy, its sources, its importance, and its effects on the environment were found in students' textbooks (Nugroho et al, 2019). Educators could create meaningful learning opportunities in teaching energy literacy by using better textbooks (Mažeikienė & Norkutė, 2021). Alternatively, they could integrate existing textbooks with ICT (information and communication technology) to create creative and innovative teaching and learning lessons when they teach about energy.…”

“…Universities are also increasingly engaging in energy research, especially in the fields of educational research; research on professional practices in education; and science research (Thoyre & Harrison, 2016). Besides that, good energy education would increase energy literacy; sustainable behaviour; and critical thinking, which would help to address the issue of climate change (Mažeikienė & Norkutė, 2021). In Taiwan, a study showed that energy literacy increased with the participants' level of education (Yeh et al, 2017).…”

“…As energy literacy has become one of the most important subtopics in science textbooks, pedagogical challenges in teaching and learning energy literacy are faced (Mažeikienė & Norkutė, 2021). Many textbooks do not convey the information about energy thematically, and the new energy paradigm which is needed for the development of a new green economy is not clear.…”

Energy Literacy: A Systematic Review of the Scientific Literature

“…The document describes the review of related content with energy literacy in textbooks for primary education in Mexico. Also related to national education, Bogovic et al (2013) [127] present the activities developed within the framework of two competitions on energy literacy in primary and secondary schools in Slovenia; Balouktsis and Kekkeris (2013) [128] describe the aspects of energy-related education at different levels of education in Greece; and Mažeikien ė and Norkut ė (2021) [129] analyze how energy topics are presented in the geography curriculum in Lithuania.…”