Energy‐Transition Education in a Power Systems Journey: Making the Invisible Visible and Actionable

• Date: 01 May 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/ajes.12347
• Author: Paul Imbertson,Jonee Kulman Brigham
• Published date: 01 May 2020

Energy-Transition Education in a Power

Systems Journey: Making the Invisible

Visible and Actionable

By Jonee Kulman Brigham* and Paul imBertson†

aBstract. We describe an approach to educating for systemic change

in energy systems by integrating technical knowledge of solutions

with reflection on paradigms and norms, facilitated by experiential

and art-based forms of learning. The course, “Power Systems Journey:

Making the Invisible Visible and Actionable,” is part of the University of

Minnesota interdisciplinary grand-challenge curriculum. Students take

on the challenge of public science communication about how to change

the electric-grid system (from power generation to consumption) as

part of an energy transition to respond to climate change. The course

integrates electrical engineering, history of science and technology,

systems thinking, design thinking, paradigms, art, humanities, science

communication, storytelling, experiential learning, and the creation of

GIS story-maps and museum exhibits. The design context and elements

of the course are described and include: the grand challenge of the

energy transition itself, the context of energy-transition education,

American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 79, No. 3 (May, 2020).

DOI: 10.1111/ajes.12347

© 2020 American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Inc.

*Senior Research Fellow, Minnesota Design Center, College of Design, University of

Minnesota. AIA, LEED O+M. Interdisciplinary architect, artist, and educator. Specializes

in sustainability and human-nature relationships. Her Earth Systems Journey curriculum

model for art-led experiential environmental education has been applied across grades,

from pre-K through higher education. Her work engages human and natural infrastructure,

systems thinking, paradigm, story, GIS, and participatory art. Email: Kulma002@umn.edu

†Teaching professor, electrical and computer engineering, University of Minnesota.

Immediate and near family includes five electrical engineers, all with connections to

electric power and energy. Currently teaches electrical engineering, focusing on energy

issues from a systems viewpoint including technical, historical, societal, and metaphori-

cal framings. Works to promote sustainability both at home and across the globe. Email:

imberts@umn.edu

Conflict of Interest Management: Jonee Kulman Brigham is the owner of Full Spring

Studio, LLC, which owns the Earth Systems Journey curriculum model referenced in

this article. This relationship has been reviewed and managed by the University of

Minnesota in accordance with its conflict of interest policies.

982 The American Journal of Economics and Sociology

the nature of the grand-challenge curriculum, the collaborative and

teaching philosophy, the role of students, the interdisciplinary course

framework, the special focus on the role of arts and humanities in

energy education, and the course-curricular structure, which uses the

“Earth Systems Journey” curriculum model. The centerpiece of the

article describes the “Power Systems Journey” experience in narrative

form to match the pedagogical approach of the course using artwork

examples from students as they investigated the grid. The article

concludes with reflections from students and teachers on what the

course offers and where to go from here.

Introduction

As the urgency of the climate crisis heightens, there is an increasing

necessity to find effective means to catalyze a rapid energy transition.

While an energy transition away from fossil fuels seems more inevi-

table with every coal plant closure, and ever-falling prices for renew-

able energy, it is not clear if this transition will occur in time to meet

the Paris Agreement goals for keeping global temperature from rising

1.5 degrees Celsius. Research-based scenarios for the needed draw-

down to achieve goals, such as outlined in Project Drawdown, show

that there are currently available solutions that could meet the goal.

While research on solutions needs to continue, the largest barrier to

achieving rapid drawdown is not a lack of solutions, but a lack of

deployment of solutions. Why? According to systems analyst Donella

Meadows (2008), there are many levers of systemic change, and while

it depends on the situation, she holds paradigms amongst the high-

est levers of change. Behavioral psychologists point to the power of

social norms, meaning, and story. This article discusses a university

course that integrates technical literacy, systems thinking, paradigms,

story, and meaning-making as a path to addressing the grand chal-

lenge of how to change our electric system as part of an energy tran-

sition toward addressing climate change. The course, which is part of

a grand-challenge curriculum, is interdisciplinary and combines elec-

trical engineering, history of science and technology, design thinking,

art, humanities, science communication, storytelling, and experiential

learning. In this article, we will show an approach to educating for

983Energy-Transition Education in a Power Systems Journey

systemic change by integrating technical knowledge of solutions with

reflection on paradigms and norms, facilitated by experiential and art-

based forms of learning.

Overview

This article is organized into four main sections. The Overview pro-

vides an orientation to the topic and the content.The Course Design

Elements section lays out the factors that make the course possible

and shape its structure. The Power Systems Journey Experience is the

centerpiece and longest portion of the article and describes the course

experience in narrative form to match the pedagogical approach of

the course. Finally, Next Journey/Going Forward concludes with

reflections from students and teachers on what the course offers and

where to go from here.

The following official course description provides a useful sum-

mary of the elements and methods of the course, which will be ad-

dressed in more detail in sections that follow.

GCC 3027/5027: Power Systems Journey: Making the Invisible Visible and

Actionable

An energy revolution is underway, and needs to accelerate to support

climate and economic goals. But the general citizenry does not under-

stand our current energy systems, particularly the seemingly invisi-

ble phenomena of electricity, and its generation, distribution, and use.

Technical knowledge is only half the solution, however. It is through

human decisions and behaviors that technical solutions get applied and

adopted, and the importance of communication and storytelling is being

recognized for its relevance to making change. How can science liter-

acy and behavior-motivating engagement and storytelling be combined

to help make systemic change? This course explores the integration of

science-based environmental education, with art-led, place-based explo-

ration of landscapes and creative map-making to address this challenge.

How do we make electricity visible, understandable, and interesting—so

we can engage citizens in energy conservation with basic literacy about

the electric power system so that they can be informed voters, policy

advocates, and consumers. In this class, you will take on this challenge,

first learning about the electric power systems you use, their cultural and

technical history, systems thinking, design thinking, and prior examples