The ever-increasing energy costs are omnipresent in the social debate. How will that change in autumn and winter? And what effects does this have on the zdi networks and the zdi student laboratories? This was discussed by zdi actors as part of the zdi Academy: "'Winter is coming' - current crises and their effects on the content of the courses for schoolchildren".
To introduce the topic, Prof. Dr. Mario Adam from the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences gives an outlook on the development of gas prices. And the prospects are not rosy: "Gas will cost twice what we have been paying in Europe for many years," reports Prof. Dr. Mario Adam.
How does the current situation affect the work of the zdi networks and zdi student laboratories?
In order to examine and clarify this question, three different practical examples from different zdi regions were presented. They made it clear how the topic of "energy transition" can be implemented in zdi's work by setting priorities and appropriate formats.
Radojka Ille and Marius Wohlfahrtstätter made the start for the zdi-Schüler:innenlabor "Energy transition makes school" from the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. Courses on the topics of climate education, sustainability, renewable energies, energy saving and energy efficiency are offered there. Young people learn what we need energy for, how it is generated or how we can save it.
"Involving young people, who actually don't get enough, in the debate and creating awareness of opportunities," is Jenny Gramm's goal zdi center ANTalive. The project "Rheinisches Revier - youth shapes the structural change" was the second practical example within the framework of the zdi Academy. After two years, the project was completed this summer.
The aim of the project was to involve young people in the structural change and also to create awareness of important issues. 18 schools from the Rhenish Revier and some scientific organizations were persuaded to take part.
At the end of the exchange round, Dr. Thorsten Balgar from zdi network Gelsenkirchen. In the Energy Lab, students can deal with the topics of solar energy, wind power, fuel cells and energy networks. Balgar stressed the importance of extracurricular provision on these issues, as schools often only cover them very superficially.
The discussion will continue in the zdi community
The feedback on the event in the final panel discussion was consistently positive. “I think the idea of exchanging ideas is really great!” emphasizes Radojka Ille from Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. In the future, other MINT actors should also benefit from such open exchange formats.
You can find more offers from the zdi Academy here .
