Can building model cars really help create the next generation of electric vehicle designers and engineers?
The project, Green Research for Incorporating Data in the Classroom (GRIDc), uses renewable energy technologies as a learning tool to foster cognitive skill development and promote critical thinking and problem solving. This not only teaches new “green” sciences, but allows students to make practical informed decisions – such as comparing energy sources in electric vehicles. “Students have a general knowledge of concepts such as wind and solar power, but they generally do not understand the pros and cons of different types of renewable energy systems,” says Dr. Bill DeLuca, associate professor of technology education at NC State and principal investigator on the project. “Through this research, we are able to provide them data so they can understand and decide for themselves how well these systems work – and in what sorts of applications.” The $400,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant builds upon a previous $200,000 NSF grant that collected data from renewable energy technologie
