Design and validation of a model for education of the optimal energy consumption in elementary school textbooks

Considering the current environmental challenges, the aim of the current research is to design and validate an education model for optimal energy consumption in elementary school textbooks. For this purpose, in addition to quantitative content analysis (categorical) of elementary courses from the perspective of optimal energy consumption and evaluating the energy literacy of students in Kermanshah city, based on the foundations, components and assumptions of a desirable model of education and combining the opinions of experts and curriculum experts in it, a model for education of energy consumption in elementary school textbooks has been designed and validated. This research is practical in terms of purpose and exploratory mixed research in terms of method. Domain for analyzing the content of textbooks include all primary school books, for measuring the level of energy literacy including all primary school students in Kermanshah city, and to validate the model, It includes primary school teachers, education specialists, and textbook authors and the purposeful and criteria-based sampling method was used until reaching theoretical saturation (number of 19 people) from experts in energy education and education. The tools for collecting the information required for the design of the model were documentary studies, interviews and questionnaires, and for the purpose of validity and reliability, the theoretical triangulation method was used.The results of the content analysis of the textbooks showed that among the elementary school books, the most attention was paid to the category of consumption patterns in Persian books and experimental sciences of the fifth and sixth grades, which are mainly based on cognitive and functional components. Also, the results showed that the energy literacy of primary school students was low in cognitive aspects and therefore it had an impact on their performance.Bottom of Form Finally, the ideal model of energy consumption education including curriculum elements such as goals, content selection and organization, learning activities and teaching methods, learning resources, grouping, time, place and evaluation was designed. Accreditation review from experts in curriculum studies and environmental education showed that the designed model is acceptable with a high degree of confidence. Based on this, it is suggested that the pattern of optimal energy consumption, its components and how it is taught, which is designed in this research, should be included in the topics and educational programs in the elementary school.