The key factor of sustainable economic development is the comprehensive knowledge of energy production, supply and utilization. In most cases, consumers identify the value of everyday electricity and gas supply with the invoices, not knowing the background of the service they use.
Therefore E.ON Földgáz, E.ON Hungária and the Miistry of Culture and Education have launched a three-year-programme which aims at providing a modern and clear-cut education scheme that could be properly conceived by the given age-group, thus merging and summarizing the knowledge obtained in the curricular classes of nature, then physics, geography and chemistry. The knowledge is based on international experience, presented on-line, interactively with rich illustrations, aided by unconventional, highly motivating tools, with a special training material and tutorial for teachers.
"Energy is precious, energy is interesting." This is the slogan of the first element in this new education programme, namely the education portal: http://www.energiakaland.hu/, where students can familiarize themselves interactively with energy-related issues and problems which fit in with the natural science classes at school. The "energy portal" offers a possibility to learn facts and environmental awareness to 4 age groups (6-18 years old) in a playful manner. The Hungarian Energiakaland portal was based on international experience and established with the help of energy industry and pedagogy experts. The fascinating, interactive and multimedia materials cover the subjects of the natural science classes, in harmony with the National Curriculum, revealing a full set of energy-related issues to students at the age of 6-18.
Relying on international experience at E.ON, the Energy Portal involves the parents in several energy-related questions, and thus it has effect on the students' homes, too. The "staff room" page provides a set of tutorials and teaching plans, and could also be accessed directly from the Sulinet web pages.
There are going to be several national tenders invited between 2008-2010 for schools visiting the portal. The first will be a photo tender for students: it opens on 6th June and closes on 31st August 2008. Our second invitation to tenders starts in September 2008 to support the study circles at schools, more specifically to sponsor study circles teaching energy awareness.
The programme also aims at supporting teacher training by conveying the professional knowledge of E.ON. Relying on the tool of "Train the trainer", we shall establish a nationwide network of EnergiaKaland experts. The programme includes: downloadable or printed teachers' manual and tutorials, a tour for teachers in power plants, two methodological trainings per each year and a regular newsletter for teachers. There is going to be an Energy Camp in 2009, where the conventional camp-experience is enhanced by scientific knowledge, and combined with an opportunity to visit a power plant.