Comparing industry and academia priorities in bioenergy education: a Delphi study

Abstract

Bioenergy is a rapidly growing subsector of the emerging bioeconomy, with the potential to create a substantial number of jobs. However, training programmes for these positions are limited, and there is currently a lack of research-based guidance for the creation of new programmes. This study employed a modified, two-round Delphi technique to generate a bioenergy education framework, utilising the expertise of professionals in the field. Participants were presented with a list of bioenergy concepts and rated the importance of including each topic in a college-level bioenergy curriculum, using a five-point scale. Suggestions for additional items were requested. After receiving feedback about the panel's mean ratings from Round One, experts were again asked to rate each item. A comparison between rankings from participants in academia and industry showed that, overall, their priorities are well aligned. The resulting framework provides structure for developing standardised bioenergy workforce education programmes and appropriate evaluation instruments. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Curriculum development Workforce development sustainable education bioeconomy Bioenergy education

Index Keywords

Curricula higher education sustainability Workforce development curriculum educational development comparative study Curriculum development Sustainable educations Delphi analysis Fluids Bio-energy bioeconomy bioenergy ranking

Author Affiliations

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States

Science Education, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States

Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States

Funding & Acknowledgements

Grant: 2011-68005-30407

This project is part of the Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest consortium and was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative [grant number 2011-68005-30407] from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The funding source had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; nor in the decision to submit the article for publication.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NIFA

This project is part of the Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest consortium and was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative [grant number 2011-68005-30407] from the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The funding source had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; nor in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Comparing industry and academia priorities in bioenergy education: a Delphi study

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