Abstract
The purpose of this study was to quantitatively assess change in energy conservation awareness after energy education incorporating "visualization" of gas consumption during food service training. An intervention study using a before-and-after design without a control group was conducted with 37 third-year students from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at Osaka City University. The duration of the education intervention was 4 months. During this period, the students attended two lectures and a training session, and a display monitor was installed in the training room to show gas consumption. A scale was developed to objectively assess energy conservation awareness. Changes in awareness were measured by the scale and compared before and after the intervention. Using the scale, of which reliability and validity had been previously determined, the average score was increased in each of the following areas (p<0.05): "motivation for energy saving", "motivation to learn about energy", and "understanding of energy". In conclusion, this study found that the educational intervention changed students' awareness of effective and reduced energy consumption, and indicated the possibility that the educational approach is effective.
