Defining and Assessing Energy Literacy

Energy can be considered the “currency of humanity.” Everything we do relies on energy, and historically, societal advancements—such as the Industrial Revolution and the corresponding increase in human population—parallel energy-related developments. Despite our dependence on energy, particularly in the United States, and a looming energy crisis, various energy studies demonstrate a general lack of energy-related knowledge and awareness among the general U.S. population. A limitation of these studies is that the surveys have focused on specific curricular objectives, such as renewable energy resources or how energy is consumed, making comparisons across studies almost impossible. In light of this limitation, the authors of this paper developed an energy literacy survey, which is intended to be a broad-reaching tool for evaluating public understanding of energy-related issues, assessing energy education programs, and providing a framework for improving students' energy literacy.

Literacy encompasses much more than knowledge: it also includes evaluating information, applying concepts, communicating ideas, and using these skills to make decisions and take action. To define energy literacy and determine the criteria for measuring energy literacy, the authors reviewed established scientific, technological, and environmental definitions of literacy, as well as curricular materials and educational standards in these fields. They noted parallels between these fields and energy education literature, which highlighted content knowledge, attitudes, and behavior as essential attributes for literacy development. With this in mind, the authors defined energy literacy as “the concepts, skills, and values required to communicate, make choices, and act as an energy-responsible citizen.” The next question was: How are we to measure energy literacy?

Taking each attribute of literacy development—cognitive, affective, and behavioral—the authors parsed them into smaller, descriptive characteristics, and then further into measurable benchmarks. They used educational curricula as well as textbooks, published polls, and surveys; with these materials, they sought approval of their work through a panel of energy and energy-education specialists. The resulting, and agreed-upon, framework includes 16 characteristics and 52 measurable benchmarks to assess cognitive knowledge, attitudes, and predispositions to behave in accordance with one's energy-related knowledge and attitudes. The cognitive attribute, for example, includes characteristics of energy sources and resources, as well as basic energy concepts. These characteristics are measured through benchmarks such as identifying forms of energy, applying the first and second laws of energy, and identifying units of energy and power.

With these measurable benchmarks as a framework, the authors constructed an 85-item survey with closed-ended, quantitative questions. Careful attention was paid to keep the survey broad and appropriate regardless of age, ability level, and cultural as well as geological contexts; however, the breadth of the survey also poses some limitations. For example, the survey does not identify mastery levels for specific grades, although the survey is intended to be used in classrooms. Despite limitations, the survey provides a useful tool for identifying common misconceptions and gaps in knowledge, evaluating energy educational programs, and improving energy literacy.