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E.ON - Energy Experience

Merrill Lynch Education Award supported by the Department for Children, Schools and Families

E.ON’s business success is dependant on engineering expertise, so a limited interest in science could result in a future skills shortage. This, together with E.ON’s commitment to promote responsible energy usage and climate change awareness, has led us to develop an innovative portfolio of primary and secondary school resources called the ‘E.ON Energy Experience’.

Processes

A 2007 survey of 15-year olds in the principal industrialised countries identified widespread pessimism about environmental challenges, air pollution and nuclear waste disposal, and limited enthusiasm for scientific careers. The report stated that student attitudes to science will be crucial to countries’ future economic potential.

The resources, linked to science and geography curricula, were developed in partnership with educational specialists. Using real life case studies, and the expertise of E.ON volunteers, they bring the power industry to life. They include:

An interactive website (www.eon-uk.com/energyexperience), printed resource packs, lesson plans and activity cards which help young people aged 5-16 understand different sources of energy and their relative merits and options and impacts locally, nationally and globally of future energy production

‘The Town of Total Darkness’ – a participative drama, performed by actors, to groups of up to 300 children aged 5–11, encourages pupils to explore different types of electricity generation, and the importance of saving energy.

“Voice of a Generation” - a secondary school conference, chaired by GMTV’s John Stapleton, and attended by 70 pupils plus teachers from 23 schools across the UK, which focused on energy sources, distribution and the environment.

CONKERS – An award winning attraction in the Heart of the National Forest provides a mix of indoor and outdoor experiences for 5-16 years, 240,000 people visit the centre each year. In 2007 they launched a permanent exhibition at the centre themed around the ‘Energy Experience’ embedding sustainability and energy messages to 40,000 visiting school children.

Impact

E.ON branded promotional leaflets and resource materials were sent to every primary and secondary school in the UK and used by 10,661 primary schools and 9,101 secondary schools (67 per cent penetration rate).
Ninety per cent of teachers felt that the resources were easy to deliver and would be likely to use them again.
‘Energy Experience’ resource details were mailed to over 600 Local Authority offices, Local MPs and Education Authorities.
In 2007 the E.ON ‘Energy Experience’ website generated over 40,000 hits and was used on an interactive whiteboard by one fifth of teachers.