Introduction
Energy is an important component of our day-to-day activities. Life is unimaginable without energy because many of the things we deal with depends on energy in one-way or the other. Saudi Arabia has oil and gas as the major forms of energy. During the processing of the oil and gas, a lot of waste and water bodies are released into the air. Oil is not a constant commodity and over reliance on it as the major source of energy would be very disastrous. The future of the energy is bleak because a lot is being consumed at the present moment without a careful consideration of the future. For Saudi Arabia, there needs to be alternative sources of energy (Nersesian, 25). This would mean that there is no over dependence on a particular energy component; thus, would bring about diversity. This initiative would help with energy conservation not only for the present, but future generations also.
It is therefore important to create awareness on the need to conserve energy. The schools in the eastern part of Saudi would be the best part to start the awareness. The reason for this would be that when the students learn about the importance of conserving energy, then they would be of great help in spreading the message of conservation. This would also help in ensuring that the future generations learn the need to use energy wisely. Energy conservation also helps in conserving the environment (Mason, Michael and Amit 59). Climate change in the modern times has become real. Burning of the fossil fuel and gas emissions deplete the ozone layer. This leads to the greenhouse effect. The future will be promising if we conserve energy.
Research questions
For the study on energy conservation awareness needs to be guided. There are questions developed, which would help in providing a guideline on the research. The following questions would be a guide to the study;
1. What is Saudi students' level of awareness about energy conservation?2. How can energy conservation awareness and practices be improved among Saudi student students in the eastern province?3. What can local companies do to raise energy conservation awareness among Saudi students in the eastern province?Quantitative survey questions
1. How many companies do you have in your area that encourage energy conservation?
2. How many students do you know who are aware of energy conservation?
Qualitative interview questions
1. What do you know about the concept energy conservation? 2. In your opinion, explain how could energy conservation awareness be raised within your school in particular and your society in general?
Data Collection
Survey/Questionnaires
Survey or questionnaire is one of the most reliable data collection methods that have been used for a lot of research work. In adopting questionnaires for the purpose of data collection, there are questions that are developed which would clearly answer the questions for which answers are sought. The questions thus should be made simple and clear so that there is some degree of accuracy achieved for the purpose of getting the information needed. Questionnaires are carried out in a number of ways but there exist three distinct ones used. There can be in the following forms: personally, electronically, or through the mail. Those carried personally are always on a one-on-one basis or can be done in a group (White, Theresa and McBurney, 218). The questions for this research on awareness of energy conservation will come from journals, magazines and scholarly articles that have discussed the same topic.
The first reason for adopting this data collection method is that in questionnaires, a standard is adopted that enhances fairness during evaluation. Data collection can be an expensive affair. There are many schools, which would be covered in this process; hence, the data collection method would be cost effective. The method can also ensure an introduction of groups of individual to a subject, have the subject explained to them and then make use of the survey. Mass mailing would ensure that a number of schools in the eastern province are reached in the shortest time while covering a large geographical area. This would enable the students to complete the survey in an appropriate time and at an individual pace. Surveys are very essential and help get mass data that can be useful for evaluation and therefore, survey would be essential for this study.
Interviews
This is another data collection method I would consider for this research. This is where there is a one on one encounter with a person and asking the questions that one needs answers. In interviews, questions are prepared in advance. The questions to be asked in this case are supposed to be clear and easy for consumption. I would use this data collection method because it is easy to get an individuals feeling about an issue on a first hand basis. Interviews would enable me to ask more detailed questions. In an interview, there is a high response rate that this would be very important for the study. This method would be viable for it would allow for clarity where there is an ambiguity and the incomplete questions followed up (Thomas, Jerry, Nelson, and Stephen, Silverman, 273). For this study, interviews will also be important because it only involves two people and therefore, there cannot be influenced from any group. Awareness on energy conservation is important and there is a need to get firsthand information and thus, this method of data collection would be very useful.
The data methods as stated would be the best for this research. While questionnaires would help in asking specific questions, interviews would help in finding first hand information (Phillips, Patricia and Cathy, 15). The student’s thoughts would then be recorded based on the student's account on what is known about energy conservation. This would go a long way in meeting the requirements for this study. The data collection techniques chosen would help in making generalizations thus giving a proper conclusion.
Opportunities and challenges in executing the research
The opportunities that would come as a result of the research execution would have far reaching implications. Awareness of energy conservation in the schools would be helpful in bringing up a generation of individuals who would change the notions concerning effective energy use. Schools are very important institutions of learning where students are socialized to learn certain aspects that go along way in affecting their lives in the future. Schools are found within communities and thus, by creating awareness in schools first, the communities around would benefit from the activities by the students in creating awareness about energy conservation. Moreover, the schools have individual students who come from different homes and therefore, they would act as agents of change in creating awareness in their homes and surrounding thus the objective would be achieved from the grass root.
Challenges
Executing the research would face some challenges in the sense that the major forms of energy are the greatest investment tools that the Saudi depend on. Therefore telling the people to conserve what they depend on for their livelihood would be a tall order to achieve. Billions of investments come from the energy sectors that propel the economy. Creating awareness about the need to conserve would no doubt cause some opposition. A number of students from the schools come from families where the families take part in the energy business. Having them create awareness of what they depend on for their economic being would be a tall order.
Another challenge would be to martial resources that would ensure public awareness in the vast eastern province. Resources would be needed for a proper research to achieve the objective of creating awareness. Time and the response rate would be a challenge (Benson, Phil and Toogood, 10). The eastern province is a vast area and thus, would take time to collect the data from the schools and also, the response rate may be affected. Having the right information from the students would also be a very big challenge in the research execution. Some would give accurate information and others would not give factual information. Some of the schools may not understand the real value of this initiative. That would really affect their cooperation to a large extent. Consequently, coming up with acceptable methods that can influence the people to adopt the findings of the research would be a serious challenge. The basis of a research is to help solve a problem.
Works Cited:
Benson, Phil, and Sarah Toogood. Learner Autonomy: 7. Dublin: Authentik Language Learning
Resources, 2002. Print.
Mason, Michael, and Amit Mor. Renewable Energy in the Middle East: Enhancing Security
Through Regional Cooperation. Dordrecht: Springer, 2009. Print.
Nersesian, Roy L. Energy for the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide to Conventional and
Alternative Sources. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe, 2010. Print.
Phillips, Patricia P, and Cathy A. Stawarski. Data Collection: Planning for and Collecting All
Types of Data. San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 2008. Internet resource.
Thomas, Jerry R, Jack K. Nelson, and Stephen J. Silverman. Research Methods in Physical
Activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2011. Print.
White, Theresa L, and Donald McBurney. Research Methods. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth,
Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.
