Small plastic cups filled with different colors of sand. A Slinky and a two foam cups. A sponge, a plastic straw and a plastic baggie.
These elements may sound like items on a scavenger hunt list, but they are actually supplies needed for a totally different type of endeavor–tracking down an ideal career in engineering.
In partnership with the National Energy Education Development Project (NEED), the Society of Petroleum Engineers created the Energy4me program. This global energy education program relies on hands-on activities that use simple components to teach complicated engineering functions used in oil and gas exploration and production.
Studies prove that hands-on activities create connections between the classroom and real-world situations. This style of teaching also nurtures critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which are traits that many employers value.
“The Energy4me workshops not only are a lot of fun for the students, but they also are incredibly educational,” said Mary Spruill, NEED executive director. “Because we use hands-on activities, students do not passively listen to a lecture; they must think through a problem or situation. They learn that they can interpret data, which is a fundamental skill for engineers.”
In fact, Energy4me is a copyrighted program because of these hands-on activities. And, only a program that uses these activities can be called Energy4me.
Globally, SPE offers Energy4me in two environments: we conduct workshops for teachers and students at many of our large conferences and exhibitions, and our members conduct classroom presentations at their local schools. Our You Tube channelcontains many videos that demonstrate how to conduct the activities and what questions you can pose to the students. It’s all here, on video!
It’s fun and easy, and the Energy4me team provides all the information you need to conduct a successful program. We made a short video that explains how to conduct a one-hour presentation. Just follow these easy steps to STEM-ulating success.
Contact the Energy4me team if you have any questions about the program or need resources.