Afterschool renewable energy technology: The influence of teachers and activity designers

There is a lack of access to real-world sustainability technologies in high school classrooms and bringing renewable energy technologies (RETs) into afterschool settings is one strategy that fosters student interest in related technology careers and innovations. However, in an afterschool program differences between the perspectives of curriculum designers and the teachers who implement it are points of tension in need of examination. This study compared afterschool teachers’ and curriculum designers’ pathways into technology-related fields and their perceptions of their ability to foster real and meaningful technology experiences. Curriculum designers’ knowledge of RETs revealed challenges in designing authentic opportunities for learners, but they viewed creating meaningful activities as easier. Among the teachers, real-world technology was perceived as easier to provide, while personally meaningful technology was perceived as more challenging. This study revealed that the more knowledge and experience was held in an area the greater the difficulty in providing access to students. The opposite was also found where less experience was related to perceptions of greater ease in providing access. Future research in this area is needed, but the framing of future studies should include the positionality of each stakeholder in terms of their own access to technology careers and technology education.