Using Entrepreneurially-Minded Online Discussions to Drive Educator-Focused Community of Practice

Study abroad experiences are a common way for university students to acquire knowledge and competence through the experiential learning associated with embedding oneself in another country. However, limited formal opportunities are available to faculty interested in benchmarking best teaching practices throughout the world. The purpose of this paper is to provide one approach to an educator-focused faculty professional development experience by showcasing how entrepreneurially-minded online discussions helped effectively prepare nine engineering and technology faculty participants for a 15-day NSF-funded renewable energy-focused “study abroad-like” experience in Germany. The short-term project goal was to improve curricula and pedagogy in the U.S. by soliciting best practices in content, teaching, certifications, articulation, and career pathways in renewable energy, energy management, and energy storage. The long-term project goal was to advance the American renewable energy workforce and to increase the technical competence of the U.S. in the energy storage sector.