2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The modern electric power grid is an intelligent and interconnected system, characterized by an increasing amount of renewable and distributed energy sources and storage, and by smart devices and sensors that are remotely monitored and controlled in real-time, leading to smart energy systems / smart grids. This emerging paradigm calls for a revamping of the power engineering curriculum, with the goal of developing a workforce able to grasp and adapt to the evolving conditions, with strong foundational skills in traditional power systems topics, as well as in integration of renewable and distributed resources and in energy data analytics.
This paper presents the process of adapting existing power engineering courses in two collaborating institutions with new modules on distribution systems, renewable energy systems, and data analytics. The curriculum redesign centers not only around the inclusion of these topics of interest, but on incorporating situative pedagogy strategies, in an effort to help students place topics into context and equip them to grasp effects of the emerging changes and technologies. Beyond the traditional curriculum of theory and labs, the collaborative effort combines the resources, research, and diverse student perspectives to enhance the curriculum of both programs. In an effort to understand how the use of situative pedagogy can enhance the curriculum, concept maps have been selected and utilized as a tool to assess students' depth of understanding and ability to connect and contextualize important topics. In the effort to create a control group, students enrolled in the existing, unaltered courses, were asked to develop concept maps of their current understanding of several topics: electric power distribution systems, renewable energy systems, and data analytics for power systems operation. Across three courses that span both institutions, new modules and approaches centered around situative pedagogy were adopted. The situative methods implemented in each course are described and an early reflection on their effectiveness is included. Before and after the additions, students developed concept maps to demonstrate their current understanding of the added topics and their context. The paper discusses the method of analysis used to evaluate the concept maps, and presents preliminary results of the analysis and concept map comparison to those of the control group. Results of the preliminary assessment through the concept maps and feedback/observations in response of the utilized situative learning strategies will not only guide the project moving further, but will also be insightful in the application and adaptations of these tools, both situative pedagogy and concept maps, as evaluation method disciplines beyond power engineering.